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skzfictions · 2 years ago

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Just The Way You Are (Bang Chan Fic)

Summary: When your mother accidentally takes the wrong gift in your place to your ex-best friend's 18th birthday party, you decide you must go and retrieve it before he can see it. Of course, due to your luck, or lack thereof, this doesn't go as planned…

Genre: fluff, funny, high school setting, awkward reader, best friends to lovers trope

♡Pairing: Bang Chan X GN! Reader

Word Count: 6K

A/N: Wrote this based on Chan's current style. This was supposed to be a short drabble, but it seems I just can't write short stories to save my life. I don't know if it's any good… Regardless, if you do enjoy it, reblogs are always appreciated. Much love!

"Mission complete!" you whispered to yourself, triumphantly, as you lifted a little black wrapped gift box from a table full of birthday presents and examined it.

Despite how small it was, the gift stood out amongst all the other brightly colored gifts that currently decorated the table thanks to you using black wrapping paper, Chan's favorite color, to decorate the little gift box. You had finished its wrappings with a shiny silver ribbon thus, giving it a nice sleek vibe.

However, as you examined the little gift, a wave of melancholy suddenly washed over you at the thought that he would never actually get the chance to appreciate your handiwork or the gift inside because of the fact that you were about to quickly swap it out for another gift before jetting on home.

You sighed, heavily, as you realized you really had no reason to be sad. After all, that was your entire purpose for coming to Chan's birthday party in the first place. Because even despite the fact that you had spent so much money on the present and had taken your time wrapping it to perfection, you had never actually intended to give it to him. Well, you had at first, but had changed your mind at the very last minute.

Unfortunately, your mother hadn’t known this and therefore, ended up taking the wrong gift in your place to Chan's birthday party.

See, you and Chan hadn’t spoken much over the last month ever since you had found out that he had been secretly dating someone who had been a childhood bully of yours, even despite the fact you both had been best buds since your diaper days and therefore, he should've been able to trust you enough to tell you the truth.

The only way you had even found out the truth was after your old bully had stalked right up to Chan one day while you and him were mid-conversation and they locked lips with him right in front of you leaving you feeling very much like a clueless little child. You both had fallen out ever since.

He'd tried apologizing to you which you did come to accept, but ultimately, it still changed your friendship because from then on, things had gotten increasingly awkward between you both especially as he drifted further and further into the popular crowd his partner rolled with while you, on the other hand, found your own little circle of friends to hang with, eventually.

Today, you two barely acknowledged each other, except for the occasional smile you were both forced to share whenever either of you noticed the other in the halls of your high school.

It was sad that you guys had fallen out so much over the past month to the point that you no longer even felt comfortable giving him a birthday gift, instead choosing to have your mother do it for you.

But dammit! Your mom had taken the wrong gift!

When she had bugged you earlier that morning about going to the birthday party Chan’s parents were throwing for him at their house, you had ignored her, choosing to stay in bed and sleep in, but you had mumbled to her something about taking the small wrapped gift that was in your backpack to Chan’s.

The part you had forgotten to mention was there were actually two gifts in your backpack. One was Chan’s true present that you were too afraid to give him and the other was the gift card you had bought at the last minute to replace the true gift.

You had wrapped both gifts and left them in your backpack so when your mom had come to your room and asked you if she had grabbed the right one, still half asleep, you just mumbled "mmhm" before rolling over and going back to dreamland.

It wasn't until you got up about an hour later and went downstairs only to find the wrong gift sitting on the counter that you realized which one your mom had taken with her.

That’s when you knew you just had to sneak into Chan's party to take it back and replace it.

It had taken a while to get alone in the house where Chan's presents table was so that you could carry out your little plan. You'd had to play cordial and greet Chan’s parents, even Chan himself, and then mingle with several of the guests in attendance before you could finally find some alone time to make your way inside the house to grab back the gift.

Now that you had successfully had the gift in your hand you could just switch it out with the one from your backpack and then you could-

"Y/N?"

“Ah!”

At the sound of the unexpected voice from behind you, you shouted, nearly jumping out of your skin. Simultaneously, you…

*Crash*

*Thump*

*Kerplunk*

…bumped into Chan’s presents table causing a few of them to topple over and fall onto the floor.

So much for being discreet, you thought, hopelessly.

Needless to say, you hadn’t been expecting the sound of your ex-best friend's voice to interrupt you in your quest to get back the gift thus, startling you and causing you to knock into the gift table.

At least it was just a couple of presents that fell and not the whole damn table.

Oops,” you now whimpered in embarrassment as you immediately kneeled to the floor to start picking up the few presents that had toppled over. As you scrambled to pick up the gifts, you felt Chan come up beside you to pick up a few himself.

"I'm so sorry," you continued to apologize.

He wasn't supposed to see you. That's why you had been trying to be sneaky about taking back your gift. Of course, you should've known better. You were never good at sneaking. Not only that but even despite the fact that you and Chan had not spoken in the last month it seemed he still had his "best friend radar" intact. How else would he have known to come inside the house right at the same time you had snuck in just to take back the damned gift? In fact, you had specifically waited to sneak inside only after you saw him surrounded by his guests and therefore he should've been too busy to even come inside, but here he was.

Ever since you guys were kids Chan had always had a knack for finding you even when you didn't want to be found. He called it the "best friend radar." You wished you had it too. Then maybe you would've sensed him coming and then you could've moved a bit faster and got the hell out of his house before he could see you. But, no such luck.

"It's okay, Y/N," Chan said as you both stood up and placed the gifts that had fallen back on the table. "I'm actually glad you're here. I thought you weren't coming. Or, at least, that's what your mom had said."

He was fully facing you now, smiling his dimpled grin that never ceased to help him charm his way into or out of anything, you included.

However, what he wanted at the moment you were not sure of, but with his gift still in your grasp, which you were now hiding behind your back, you knew you had to find a way to shoo him off so that you could switch out the gift.

"Oh…yeah, well…here I am!" you replied rather awkwardly, with a nervous chuckle but it only came out as awkward as it had because you were both trying to be discreet about hiding his gift, while also not succumbing to his physical charms due to that smile of his whilst also trying to be friendly even despite the fact that the last time you both had a solid conversation was the day you had found out about his dating secret.

In order to get him out of the house, you were going to have to figure out something quick though because in addition to the “best friend radar” Chan was also good at reading you. Actually, he was pretty good at reading people in general, but he knew you to the point that you were like an open book to him.

"Yeah, thanks for coming,” he now replied, his smile falling just a little as he glanced down for a second then back up at you. “So…long time no talk, huh? How have you been?”

Chan looked at you expectantly causing you to avert your eyes when you answered in your attempt to appear more aloof.

“Oh, you know…” you trailed momentarily. “I’ve been good.”

Liar, your mind immediately responded which you ignored.

“You?” you asked him as well as it was the courteous thing to do.

However, Chan didn’t respond immediately but just stared at you for a moment causing you to fidget, uncomfortably. It had been a long while since you two had been alone and this moment with him proved it. It was awkward to be alone with him. Or, maybe it was just you.

Whatever the case, you were sure he was deciphering your every move which was why you were trying to appear standoffish but you didn't think it was working.

Finally Chan answered, “...yeah, I’ve been good, too.”

His response was curt which caused you to grimace in response. The conversation really was getting increasingly awkward to the point of being painful when in comparison to the way conversation used to flow between you two so effortlessly just the month before. You wondered if it was always going to be like this from now on…

“Cool,” you said simply and you would have just left it at that but because the silence was killing you, you in all your awkwardness, continued to ramble on. “So then you’ve been good, and I’ve been good and everything is…good...”

As you rambled on, Chan's lips had begun to spread into a smirk, clearly amused by your awkwardness, but it soon turned to a full on chuckle causing you to look away in embarrassment.

Well, at least your awkward personality got a laugh out of him, which actually did help to relieve some of the tension between you two, but only by just a bit. Regardless, you wanted to use that moment to get the chance to leave the room, so you attempted to start inching towards the exit. “Yeah, so, I’ll just…”

However, as you were doing so, Chan cut you off.

“What are you hiding behind your back?"

You halted, stumped by his question. Automatically, your hand squeezed the gift you were indeed, hiding behind you.

You blinked a few times not knowing how to answer so you feigned innocence, instead. “What?”

Chan pointed at your arm that was placed behind your back.

“Behind your back,” he said, frankly. “What are you hiding?”

Damnit! You cried, internally.

See, this was why you were trying to get the hell out of that house! Chan had already figured you out in the five minutes or so you two had been talking. Of course, you already knew you were an open book but damn! Five minutes! He had kept a secret from you for months but you couldn’t keep a secret from him for five damn minutes!

That’s okay y/n, you spoke to yourself in your head as you felt your heart rate speeding up. Just try to remain cool.

You shook your head. “Oh, um…I’m not-”

“Is it my birthday gift?” he cut you off again.

“No,” you responded a little too quickly and he smirked.

Damnit! He knew.

“Really?” he said, challenging you while grinning ear-to-ear. “Then show me.”

You sighed, exasperatedly, exhausted with his persistence. “Chan, it’s not-whaaaat are you doing?”

With his head tilted to the side like he was trying to get a look around your frame so that he could see what you were holding behind your back, Chan had slowly started inching towards you very much in a manner that resembled a wolf stalking a prey animal. You, in turn, started to move backward, tentatively.

“If you won’t show me then I’ll just have to find out for myself,” Chan answered in a teasing tone, his grin now mischievous, still moving closer and closer to you while you kept moving back.

As he continued to close in on you, your heart beat with such intensity you worried it might actually beat out of your chest! “Chan, it’s not what you-hey!”

Before you could fully register what was happening, Chan rushed past you and you felt the weight of the present that was in your hand suddenly disappear. Next thing you knew, Chan was raising his arms high in the air in triumph of having successfully stolen the gift from you.

You cursed him and his lightning fast reflexes.

“Damnit, Chan!”

Immediately, you lunged for him in an attempt to try and retrieve it back but he stretched out his long arm in the opposite direction. When you attempted to reach around him in order to try and get it back again, he just ducked, switched it to his other hand and held that arm out, instead.

He was so amused, he was laughing at the entire situation. Another thing about Chan was he absolutely loved to tease. You especially, which was something you both loathed and endeared.

In fact, had you not been desperately trying to retrieve the gift, you would've been happy at the fact that you two were now behaving more the way you used to before the big secret.

“Chan, come on!” you whined now, exasperatedly, as you continued to try and get back the gift but he just ignored your cries.

With a voice full of humor, Chan read the little sticker you had placed on the gift. “To Chan, from Y/N.” He shot you with an accusatory glare. “I thought you said this wasn’t for me?”

You stomped your foot, begrudgingly. “It’s for another Chan!”

At this, Chan raised an eyebrow at you in disbelief, clearly not buying it, then the corners of his mouth lifted into a grin again.

“Can I?” he wiggled his thick brows at you. You didn’t even have to ask what he meant by those two words.

“Absolutely not!” you cried, vehemently as you went back to trying to grab the gift back from him again.

Immediately, you felt Chan’s entire mood change as his arm that had been stretched out in the opposite direction, suddenly slapped down to his side. He had gone from amused to serious in a heartbeat.

“Why not?” he asked with a confused frown. “We always open each other’s gifts, first, before anybody else's.”

He was right. That’s probably part of the reason he felt entitled to the gift. As best friends, over the years you both had made it your own little tradition to open each other’s gifts, first, before anyone else's on your birthdays. Even you had opened Chan’s gift to you, first, during your birthday which had been a compilation of his greatest songs he had made on his laptop.

“Not this time,” you now said, placing your hand out for him to hand over the gift. Now that he wasn’t fighting you anymore about the gift and was actually taking you seriously, you thought that maybe he would give it back, but Chan just looked down at your open palm then his expression turned from serious to suspicious.

“You’re being weird,” he said with eyes narrowed at you as he started to step back whilst holding the gift away from you, clearly not bending on giving it back. “Weirder than normal.”

You on the other hand had unknowingly started to follow his steps, still set on getting the gift back from him, possibly through force if he kept up this little charade.

“And you’re being more insufferable than normal,” you shot back at him, fed up. “Give me back the damned gift, Chan!”

But this little uproar of yours hardly got the reaction out of him that you wanted. Instead, his expression turned challenging again. His brows furrowed, and his mouth turned in a lopsided smirk.

He held the gift even further away before replying defiantly, “No!”

You winced at him. “That’s it.”

You were done with his shit.

And what happened next was a complete blur to you. One moment you were closing in on Chan just as he had been doing to you only a moment ago, and the next you were literally jumping his bones.

As a result, limbs fell on top of limbs as Chan stumbled backward and fell onto the couch behind him, while you, in all the momentum, followed along, landing right on top of him.

Crashing onto the fluffy material (thank God it was the couch and not the hard floor) you used your hands to try and help control yourself from completely colliding with him by planting them firmly down on the material surrounding you both otherwise you would've knocked heads.

It worked, but only by just a hair because your face stopped a mere centimeter from his.

With parted lips, you both gasped for air, worked up from the unexpected crash.

Neither of you said anything. The house was dead silent as you both tried to catch your breaths. The only thing that could be heard was the sound of the low hum of the refrigerator in the kitchen and each of your shallow breaths.

In this moment of silence, you couldn't help but to notice that even despite how long you both had been best friends, you had never been this close to him before.

Well, that wasn't true. You'd both been up in each other’s personal space plenty of times before but all those times were platonic.

For instance, sharing whispered jokes in each other’s ears that would get the other bursting in laughter or slinging arms around each other's shoulders like good friends often do. Hugs during celebrations or even just friendly hugs for no reason were a constant ritual in your friendship but this…for some reason, your closeness to him this time felt different.

For instance, a weird tickling sensation began to develop in the pit of your stomach at the feel of his chest and stomach being pressed right up against your very own. With each rise and fall of your chest, his own moved in sync underneath you as you both breathed heavily against one another.

However, when the tickling sensation suddenly started to move further downward to your nether regions, embarrassed at the new feeling, you knew you had to get off him immediately.

But it seemed Chan didn’t mind you on top of him because when you had tried to sit up by pressing your hand against his chest to get leverage, he surprised you by quickly pressing his own hand firmly on your back, keeping you in place on him.

Your heart rate skyrocketed at the action. In fact, you two were so close you bet he could feel it drumming in your chest.

Swallowing hard, you gulped in response.

"Chan, what are you-"

"Why can't I open your gift, Y/N?" he asked you, breathlessly.

You sighed, putting your head down in his chest too embarrassed to look at him.

Because then you'll know, you answered in your head.

"Fine," you finally gave in as you spoke into his chest. "Open it."

And so he did.

Still keeping you in place on top of him with his arms, you felt Chan unwrap the gift above you while you remained quiet and unmoving.

Once he got the gift unwrapped, he opened the box and you held your breath as you waited for his reaction, but as the moments ticked by and you didn't get one, you frowned.

You looked up at him. Chan was silent.

You watched his face, devoid of all emotion, as he eyed the piece of jewelry you had gotten him for his 18th birthday.

You didn't know what to make of this lack of reaction, but Chan soon cleared his throat before finally speaking.

"How did you get this?"

You squirmed, uncomfortably. "Oh, I um…"

"It's like, over two hundred dollars," he continued eyeing the piece of jewelry.

"I know…I saved up for it," you admitted.

Chan frowned as his eyes landed on you for the first time since he had opened the gift.

"Why?" He asked, looking genuinely confused. "I mean, how did you even know…" He trailed in his speech, seeming to be having a hard time finding the words he wanted to say. He then sighed. "I can't believe this. I had been looking at this exact necklace a couple months ago."

You smiled sheepishly as you admitted, "Yeah, I know. I kinda had seen you staring at it in the window at Nordstrom at the mall."

Chan looked at you again. “You were following me?”

You shook your head, figuring it was time for you to explain.

“No. I was just at the mall with some friends, and you were at the mall, too, and I just saw you looking kind of hard at something in a store window for a really long time," you said, recalling the very day that inspired you to get the specific gift. "When you finally left, I went to go see what it was you were staring at and I saw the necklace and I just knew it was something you would’ve really liked. It was totally your style. Well, your old style, at least.”

You looked up at him, running your eyes over his now neatly, fresh cut, straightened hair. Truthfully, you missed the untamable curls he used to sport that although he hated, you always loved.

In fact, there was a lot he had changed about his appearance since he had started dating his current partner.

He had taken out his studded earrings, leaving his lobes bare. He had gotten rid of his nose piercing. Had removed the black polish from his fingernails, and had completely gotten rid of his all black clothes in exchange for an ensemble that looked like it came out of an Old Navy catalog.

Today he wore brightly colored shirts, and V-necks. Dress shirts, slacks, and whatever new sneakers his partner bought for him were his everyday attire now. He looked fine, really. Chan looked good in anything, and you weren't adverse to him trying new styles, but you could tell that it wasn’t him. That he was only doing it to please his partner and their friends who could be super judgmental over things like appearances.

You thought that by getting him the gift that maybe it would remind him of his old self somehow. That he might realize there was someone who liked him just the way he was, regardless, and did pay attention to what he liked.

When you guys were much younger Chan hadn’t paid any attention to his style, often choosing whatever hoodie he could grab followed with a pair of jeans, but as you guys got older his style changed a lot.

In addition to the all black ensemble and piercings, Chan had a thing for chunky jewelry like chokers, chains, spikes, and large rings. The jewelry piece you bought him for his birthday fit right in with what he would usually adorn himself in before his more recent makeover.

The gift was a long sterling silver chain necklace with a polished silver skull dangling from it. The skull had a full grin, all teeth showing and the black empty sockets of its eyes were slanted downward giving it a slightly more menacing look. Lastly, was a slanted crown sitting atop its skull head.

The necklace had been a whopping two-hundred and twenty five dollars (hardly the most expensive piece of jewelry at Nordstrom’s but still plenty pricey for your budget). Luckily, since you had planned ahead to get Chan the gift for his birthday, which at the time, wasn’t until the latter end of the year in October, that meant you had plenty of time to save up money from your local cafe job.

You had bought the necklace the second you had received your paycheck in hopes to make sure that no one else bought it before you could. Eager, you had even wrapped the gift immediately after you got home despite the fact that Chan’s birthday wasn’t for another two months. After that, the gift remained in your room on your dresser until Chan’s 18th birthday finally came around. But so much had changed between you both in the last month that you had no longer felt comfortable giving him such an intimate gift. That’s when you had bought a gift card in its place.

Of course, switching out the gift had been a major failure on your part leading you to your current situation with you on top of him now.

Chan continued to play with the necklace in silence and you wondered what he was thinking.

“You don’t hate it, do you?" You asked him, worriedly. "I-I could take it back-”

“It’s incredible, Y/N," he interjected. "I can’t believe you even bought this for me." He continued to play with the necklace until his eyes finally landed on you again and he smiled that cute, dimpled grin again. "Thank you.”

You nodded, feeling your cheeks burn, flustered by the sincerity in his appreciation for the gift.

“Sure, no problem," you said nonchalantly although on the inside you were feeling anything but. "I just wanted to get you something special for your eighteenth.”

As you admitted this, a confused frown made its way onto Chan's features again. "Y/N, why did you-"

But he didn't get to finish that question because the side door in the kitchen suddenly swung open.

“Chan?!” a voice called immediately following the opening of the door. On impulse, both you and Chan shot up from the couch.

The voice continued, “Chan where are you, everyone’s…oh…”

You stood uncomfortably as you were now looking at the person who was not only your old bully but Chan’s current partner. They looked you up and down, momentarily, before turning their attention to Chan.

“What are you doing in here?" They asked him. "Everyone’s outside wondering ‘where’s the birthday boy?’ They want to bring out your cake. Come on!”

They ushered him with their hand to move quickly.

Chan got up to move towards them. “Uh, yeah, sorry. I was just talking to Y/N.”

“Oh," they glanced back at you but didn't say anything further about you. It was like you were barely even there. "Well, come on. Everyone's waiting.”

They grabbed Chan's hand to take him outside but he turned around to ask, “You coming, Y/N?”

You were so engrossed in the two you almost forgot about your own existence so it startled you just a bit when Chan questioned you, suddenly.

With a forged smile, you nodded and followed a few feet behind the couple as they began to make their way outside. That's when you heard your old bully scoff at something.

“Ew!” they said to Chan with a mocking laugh. “Where did you get that?”

“What? The necklace?" Chan looked down at the necklace you had gifted him with which he was still holding in his hand. "It was a gift.”

“Really?" They said with a grimace. "But It’s so tacky…”

You frowned at their distaste for your gift but didn’t hear much more of the conversation from there as they went outside and everyone crowded Chan.

Everyone sang him happy birthday, then watched him cut his cake and then watched him get smashed in the face with said cake by his partner, followed by friends and family. As everyone dove for the cake, Chan and your old bully ended up locking lips in a kiss that made your stomach churn, completely ruining any semblance of an appetite you had.

It was then that you knew it was time for you to go. You had given him his gift, and even if his partner didn't like it, he was happy with it and that was all that mattered. Now, you could go home.

You hadn't told anyone you were leaving, but just decided to sneak out while everyone was busy fighting over the cake. As you drove home you thought about your feelings for Chan.

You didn’t know when your feelings towards him began to change. Maybe you had always liked him but was just the last person to realize it.

Regardless, the change wasn’t immediate, but your feelings just seemed to grow the more you and Chan drew further apart over the last month to the point that there was an ache in your chest whenever you saw him and his partner together, especially when they were locked at the lips like earlier.

Sometimes seeing them together actually made you feel sick. Like sick to the point that you wanted to throw up. Aside from his new group of friends, that was the other major reason why you two would rarely hung out anymore. Because you couldn’t handle watching the two of them together when your feelings for Chan had grown so complicated over the past month but it was way too late to say anything now.

It's funny how both your parents seemed to know there was something going on between you two, though. Even Chan's parents seemed to be surprised when you showed up for his birthday.

Both your parents and Chan's parents had been friends since their high school days and had apparently always joked about having their kids grow up together, too, which actually did end up happening with you and Chan, so when you two stopped talking, your parents were the first ones to notice. That's how your mother knew there was something wrong between you both.

After all, you and Chan had been inseparable since childhood so for him to suddenly stop coming around when he used to practically live at your house or for you to suddenly start staying in on weekends when you both used to hang out pretty much every weekend, the difference was highly noticeable. Still, your mother didn't pry but you could tell she was concerned.

Regardless, you just reassured her that everything was okay between you both but just that you both had been really busy with prepping for life after high school like college applications and such.

Speaking of college applications, you still had a few to fill out before the deadlines so you decided that that would be your main focus for now instead of on all your best friend drama.

However, as the week progressed, Chan had made this decision of yours practically impossible to keep since he kept calling and texting you. You knew you should've just answered to find out what he wanted, but you really did just want to forget about him for a little while. Maybe if you could get over your stupid feelings for him then you could manage to have a normal friendship with him again, but for now you just wanted to be left alone.

But again, no such luck because after being bombarded with calls and texts all week, by that weekend, you got a text from your mom saying there was someone at your house to see you.

Who? You texted her back.

It's Chan. She responded. Should I send him up?

Chan? You thought in disbelief. You knew you couldn't continue to ignore him. It wouldn't be fair and after all his attempts to contact you, followed by him showing up at your doorstep now, clearly he had something very important to tell you so you figured you might as well see what he wanted.

You quickly shot your mom a text that you would be downstairs in a minute.

But before you did, you took a quick glance at yourself in the mirror. You weren't disgusting by any means. You had at least showered, brushed your teeth and then threw on something comfy to lounge around the house in.

Then it suddenly occurred to you why you were even bothering to care about your appearance in the first place when Chan had seen you both at your worst and your best. In fact, that was one of the best things about having grown up with him since your childhood. You never had to "dress up" to impress him.

With that in mind, you left your room, then quickly scuttled down the stairs. Your mom told you he was outside on the porch, so you headed out to meet up with him.

When you stepped outside, you saw him sitting on the little decorative bench that was placed on your porch but you almost had to do a double take once you saw him because of what he was wearing.

He was dressed very much like his old self which included faded black jeans that were ripped at the knees, a black tee, and a black leather jacket with the usual buckles, and chains dangling from it that he always liked.

"Uh…Chan?"

At the sound of your voice, he looked up at you and straightened up. "Hey, Y/N."

"Hi," you said, unsurely, as you closed the front door behind you. "What are you doing here?"

Chan stared at you for a moment as he seemed to be mulling something over in his head before finally asking, "You haven't received any of my texts or calls in the last week?"

You look down embarrassed and shrugged. "I did but I've been kinda busy…"

It wasn't necessarily a lie. In addition to school, you still had your job, studies, and college applications. But you didn't mention the part about you using those as distractions to purposely avoid his attempts to contact you.

"Right…" he said now, rubbing his hands on his pants like his palms were sweaty. "Look Y/N, I'll cut straight to the chase." He looked up at you from his position on the bench, while you were still near the front door. "I can't get over your gift."

Pulling out the necklace you bought him from underneath his shirt, he fingered it before asking, "Why did you get this?"

You didn't know what to say so you shrugged again. "Because I knew you'd like it.

"But why?" He pursued further. "It's so expensive. Even I didn't get you anything that cost this much. Just that lame playlist of songs I'd made…"

"I love your songs, Chan," you whispered but he didn't hear it so he continued on.

"...but this…" he lifted the necklace wrapped around his neck. It suited him so well especially now that he was in his original all black attire. "This is way more than what I could ever ask for…so why?"

He looked up at you again, searching for answers but you kept your head down, not daring to look him directly in the eye.

"It's really not that big of a deal…" you mumbled.

"It is to me," he said with such seriousness that it caused your stomach to flip. When you stayed silent, he added, "Y/N. The truth. Please. I need to be sure of something."

You honestly didn't know what to say. You couldn’t just suddenly come out and say "because I'm hopelessly in love with you!" He's seriously dating someone already for heaven's sake!

Because you didn't know what to say your mouth fell open but no words came out.

Finally, Chan relented and leaned back on the bench before running a hand over his face.

"I broke up with them," he said, causing you to look up at him. "It wasn't pretty but, uh…it's over. That's what I've been trying to call you to tell you."

"Oh…" Now you felt bad for having ignored him all week. You finally moved away from the door and sat down beside him on the bench. "I'm sorry, Chan. That sucks. What happened? You guys seemed good on your birthday."

Just the mere mention of his birthday caused your brain to draw up images of the two kissing again and you shook your head to get rid of them.

Chan scratched at the back of his neck. "Uh…look, I know I told you that I've been good, but…I was lying. Truthfully, I was happier in the short time we were alone on my birthday than I have been since we stopped talking a while ago."

This news surprised you. "You haven't been happy, Chan?"

He smiled, but it didn't reach his eyes. He then shook his head. "No, I mean, I've been alright." He looked confused now like he was trying to figure out his own emotions. "It's just…that's it. Nothing more. I've just been al-right. Not here or there…just," he shrugged. "You know, fine."

He then turned to face you fully. "You remember when we were younger how we always wondered what it would be like to get in with the popular crowd?"

You nodded. Neither of you were outcasts by any means but neither of you were ever at the center of your school's social circle either. It was just something you thought about from time to time.

Chan continued. "Well, I'll admit that's part of the reason why I dated my ex in the first place. Everyone, even those who swear they don't care at least wonders what it's like and I'm no different. But honestly, it's not that great. At least, not with them and their friends.

"At first, it was cool. You know, having someone from the popular crowd be into me. Plus, they were hot…" Chan chuckled to himself at having to admit this to which you just rolled your eyes. But there was no denying that their looks were a huge part of the reason for your old bully's climb up the social ladder.

"But then the longer we dated the more I realized they didn't really like me the way I was. I had to keep changing things to please them…"

As he spoke, he looked far off before his eyes finally landed back on you. "Those were the times I missed you most. But you were upset with me, so I didn't know how to tell you. I'm still really sorry, Y/N."

You sat in silence as you thought over everything he was admitting to you.

"I never would've guessed," you said finally. "You two always seemed so wrapped up in each other and just because I wasn't friends with them, I still wanted you to be happy. I was willing to accept it if they were good to you."

"...they were, but only to the changed version of me," Chan said. "That's why we were dating secretly, at first. Not only because I didn't want you to know because of your past with them, but because they were worried about being seen with me in public and what their friends would think."

You scoffed at this. Now you hated them twice as much!

Going into best friend mode, you immediately started off in a tirade about how awesome he is.

"How could they be embarrassed of you?!" You exploded. "They're the ones that needs to be embarrassed! Not you! Chan you're awesome and you could do way better. They don't deserve you."

At first, Chan had started to laugh as you went off but got quiet once you said your last words.

"Who does then?" He asked, glumly. "What do I deserve?"

You stared at your best friend, sitting beside you in awe of all his beauty that for whatever reason, he just couldn't see himself.

"You deserve to be happy, Chan," you told him sincerely. "To have someone who won't be embarrassed to be out with you in public no matter what you're wearing. Someone who will support you no matter what."

He grinned as he looked up at the sky before saying, "Like…you?"

Your cheeks burned and you looked away. He was being cheeky. Teasing you once again. That's when he snapped his fingers.

"I knew it!" He said excitedly at having figured out your secret. "How long?"

You looked down at your fingers as you admitted to him, "I think I always have, but just didn't realize it until we stopped speaking." You paused as you looked down at your shoes. "I'm sorry."

At this, Chan snapped his tongue. "Why are you apologizing? You're sorry you like me?"

You shook your head, before admitting frustratedly, "No, it's just…because we're supposed to be best friends and best friends aren't supposed to like each other…"

After you trailed in your speech not elaborating any further, Chan was quiet for a moment until he finally spoke up.

"No, they aren't," he said, "And you know what else best friends don't do?"

You looked up at him, confusedly but was completely caught off guard when you felt his thumb and index finger lightly grab your chin and tilt it upward before placing his lips on yours.

Butterflies soared in your stomach. You had never thought much about your best friend's lips before, but boy were they soft with just the right amount of plumpness!

When he finally ended the kiss with a quick lick of your lips, you swore you almost melted into a puddle right on that very bench.

No wonder why your old bully seemed to enjoy kissing him so much. Oh well, their loss.

He eventually pulled away, still with his hand gripping your chin, and you bit your lip before leaning away slightly feeling both elated and embarrassed at the same time.

"Uh…yeah. Best friends definitely don't do that…." You started to ramble. '"Well, I mean...unless they're not best friends anymore but are actually dating now then I guess they-"

But Chan just shook his head, laughing at your usual awkwardness as always before shutting you up with another kiss to which you just enjoyed instead of interrupting it with more rambling.

Then suddenly, Chan stopped kissing you for a moment as a thought seemed to come to him.

"So, I just have one more question," he told you and you nodded as you waited for him to ask. You had thought it was actually going to be something serious, that is until he asked you, "So, do you really like my songs, Y/N?"

Now it was your turn to roll your eyes and shut him up with a kiss. Of course you loved all his songs, but not nearly as much as you loved the incredible guy who made them.

#bang chan #skz bang chan #skz fluff #stray kids x reader #skz imagines #skz #stray kids #stray kids scenarios #stray kids fluff #best friends to lovers

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valle-de-sombra-de-muerte · 5 months ago

Text

Homestuck Reread: Act 2, Part 2/3 (p. 440-614)

Read the previous post here.

We pick up this second third of Act 2 by reading another section of Rose's GameFAQs walkthrough.

Credit where it's due, I like this section title.

Rose wants to know more about this hypothetical Pornsprite. This girl is freaky. Too bad Ao3 didn't go into open beta until a few months after Homestuck began, she would've been all about it.

Interesting how she only cites part of her guide as "logorrheic sludge." Honey, that's the entire guide. Brevity is not your strong suit.

Rose and Jade's first pesterlog. I'll use this as the jumping off point to talk about Jade since she has only appeared sporadically at this point and none of her logs were worth talking about.

Actually, she did have one log in Act 1 where she asks John about his present. The one interesting thing is that she apparently didn't know what Sburb was when John mentioned it.

So John, Rose, and Dave all knew about Sburb and none of them thought to tell Jade about it? Huh... guess that tells us a lot about the dynamics of their friend group.

Anyway, I realize this might be a "hot take" given her inexplicable popularity in the fandom, but I don't like Jade. And unlike with John, there never was a point where I did. I am of the mind that Homestuck would've been much stronger and have a tighter pace if she was cut from the cast of kids (or at least, this version of her. The story could also work if she had some heavy rewrites) and it was limited to John, Rose, and Dave. Rose and Dave alone make for an engaging pair, and I suppose John acts as a sort of "anchor" to ground their increasingly esoteric insincerity and bullshit. If he was fleshed out more, it definitely would've worked.

But Jade doesn't help with this dynamic at all. Like John, Jade is also much more grounded and sincere, but her personality is also coupled with an overwhelming optimism where she believes everything will be okay if left up to chance. If John is true neutral, Jade is 100% positive. He barely reacts to the otherworldly things happening to him, but she actively seems to enjoy them (the meteor crashing near her house is something she wants to explore regardless of the risk, and John struggling in Sburb is "exciting").

She doesn't serve as a convincing counterbalance to Rose and Dave and comes across as more of an extraneous extension of John's lack of danger sense than anything else. Do we really need two happy-go-lucky kids with slight variations on the same niche? The very fact that the story is able to progress without her involvement thus far shows just how little she matters.

These first two acts shroud her in so much mystery, and we barely know anything about her even through these sparse pesterlogs. (As we later see, this amounts to nothing, so all this intrigue is unfounded and only leads to an unsatisfying payoff). At this point in the story, we only know that she lives with her grandfather and someone named Bec (which Dave refers to as a "devilbeast"), she has a "goofy modus" which frustrates even Dave (who, mind you, mocked John for using a simple modus earlier), she lives in a far-off part of the world, and that she has some degree of inexplicable precognition.

Jade's cutesy cagey attitude about her precognitive abilities is fucking annoying, and it is perhaps the worst thing about reading her logs. "oh gee i know all this stuff but its a secret and you gotta find out on your own tee hee! :)" This truly is typical hackshit writing when handling characters with prophetic knowledge. You can't make them too useful, or else there won't be suspense or conflict. Instead they have to act as a ineffectual plot device to softly guide the characters along. Except she doesn't do any guiding. She just unhelpfully alludes to things that the others don't know yet and leaves it at that.

In fact, Jade as a whole is less of a character and more of a plot device, by which I mean she doesn't have any sort of character to speak of. Her overbearing cheerfulness is not endearing to read, neither is her dropping hints that she knows more about what she lets on. She doesn't have any entertaining chemistry with the others either. Her interactions with John are like watching two morons acting excited with each other while the world is literally ending around them. Dave intentionally strips himself of his personality because he has a crush on her and wants to impress her by being "nice," but she doesn't seem to reciprocate his feelings at all. Also, come on, dude, Rose is right there.

Rose is the only one who shows any scrutiny about Jade's "quirky" clairvoyance. But even so, she only expresses this through occasional, bemused remarks. Jade dodges the question whenever Rose asks how she knows about things she realistically shouldn't, and Rose doesn't ever press further.

So Rose had prior knowledge about a game that will bring her cat to life. We later find out that this opportunity to revive Jaspers was her her motivation for playing Sburb. Doesn't seem worth ending the world for, but whatever. I daresay this casts Jade in a bit of a villainous role for planting the idea in Rose's head in the first place.

Actually, if Jade ended up being a twist villain, that would've been interesting and provide, you know, intrigue! Or if nothing else, it would've at least added something of substance to her character, something she desperately needs. Even ignoring that angle, you'd think the other kids might be more than a little resentful toward Jade since she knew the world was going to end, yet never told any of them about it.

But no, Hussie can't implement anything that would've been conducive to good storytelling. Especially if it leads to, gasp, conflict!

Okay, enough of Jade, let's get moving.

I want to bring attention to this passage and compare it to the earlier "symphony impossible to play" one with Rose. First of all, it's worth noting the rain/drought contrast between their respective settings. Unlike the more elegant and cerebral prose in Rose's section, this one reads more like a stream of consciousness from Dave's perspective. Loose and casual, even ending with a Snoop Dogg-esque rhyme at the end before transitioning to an actual Snoop Dogg verse.

Yeah, for those who haven't caught on, John Keats didn't actually say that. Very easy to miss, I'm sure. For those counting, this is also misattributed quote gag #5. I am positively rolling with laughter.

I find it noteworthy the room where Bro has his whole setup is stated to be the living room, not a bedroom. I'm quite certain that the Striders live in a one-bedroom apartment where Dave gets the room and Bro has all his shit in the living room and kitchen.

Dave's relationship with Bro is an inverse of John and Rose's relationships with their guardians. Whereas Dad and Mom decorate their homes with shit they think their kids will like in order to seek their approval, Bro isn't doing any of this for Dave's sake. He fills his home with his puppets and weapons because he's the one into that shit (ironically or otherwise, it doesn't matter). Dave in turn adopts Bro's mannerisms because he craves his approval.

The amount of mental hoops he needs to make in order to justify his brother's fixation on sex and puppets is concerning. Is Bro even being "ironic" or is that just an excuse he tells Dave so he doesn't have to explain this stuff any further? I think the love of Lil Cal, his childhood possession and best friend, led to a love of puppets being a core part of his personality. Everything else that extends from that is up to interpretation.

Like Dave, Bro is also a hipster doofus who does things seen as patently "uncool" in a bold display of being unique. The logic is such: a disregard for what society deems "cool" is what leads to it becoming "cool" ironically. At a glance, Bro's interests include typically "cool" things like ninja weapons, video games, and rapping. Bro plays with expectations by using these interests, which he may very well only enjoy ironically, in conjunction with puppets, which he loves genuinely but passes them off as ironic since most people deem them creepy and uncool. Applying a sexual element to the puppets makes an interest in them even creepier, so Bro does so if only to make his love for them appear even more ironic.

Convoluted and confusing? Yeah, that's Bro Strider, baby.

I don't know how necessary it was to show just how Dave gave Lil Cal a fist bump, but I do like this panel. One of the few reminders we get that these characters are, in fact, small children.

Bro's 6-character password is "puppet" right? It has to be. (Correction: a helpful anon has informed me that the password is actually "lilcal"). Also, just like his home, his desktop organization is also a mess. There's no method to this man's madness.

For all the negligence and questionable parenting methods Bro is guilty of, he still cares for Dave in some capacity. He stays up to date on his webcomic and blogs, and even hangs up one of Dave's SBaHJ drawings on the fridge. I wonder if Bro, on some level, likes the idea of raising a kid that he can raise to be just like him, but is just a woefully inept guardian that he doesn't know the first thing about parenting.

Remember, these are the kinds of websites Rose says she likes.

Just gonna say perhaps it's not ideal that Dave is being exposed to this kind of thing at such a young age. As much as he idolizes Bro and wants to emulate him, he can't get over the fact that all this sex stuff disturbs him. Yet he doesn't even view it as sexual, only as a form of irony, one he can't comprehend until he can somehow overcome his aversion toward it. It's kinda sad, really.

Unsettled, Dave's first recourse is to talk to John to try and calm down. John leaves him hanging. Such a good friend, am I right? He then goes to Rose, where they have the earlier conversation where she says she likes Bro's websites, but this time we get added context.

Dave of course is attempting to act casual about the whole thing, only slightly alluding to his deeper distress, and Rose is just like "That shit rules. I like it." This whole exchange is both tragic and darkly comedic.

Rose really does come across as a little pervert sometimes. She casually drops sexually charged phrases in conversation ("sun's lurid glare"), her username is a lewd double entendre (tentacle the... I'll let you finish that phrase), and she does show a marked interest in sexual topics (Bro's websites, the Pornsprite... honestly I'm surprised she doesn't suggest that to Dave at any point).

Both she and Dave play with innuendo and act as though they're mature and know all about sex. However, Dave's attitude toward sex is more a response to his exposure to it at a young age, whereas Rose is more casual about it and sees her flippant attitude toward it as a mark of maturity. She must love treating sex as this trivial little thing that might make others uncomfortable, but not her because she's soooo grown up.

Also, if Rose truly did give a shit about psychoanalysis, she probably would've picked up on Dave's cries for help in his messages. She really isn't as perceptive as she lets on.

Thank you, Rose, for saying what I was thinking.

Rose gets a kick out of Dave's webcomic and laughs when John makes references to it. Also, she doesn't tell John about what Dave told her earlier about the puppets when he mentions it. How nice of her. John is a fucking jackass though. Seriously, fuck him.

I'm putting a pin in this for later. Rose being able to "see only [...] what John can see, or has seen already" will be important to note later on.

Another tragicomic exchange where Rose continues to make light of Dave's distress. I wonder if she is incapable of seeing Dave as being sincere in this moment and thinks he's overreacting as a part of their usual back-and-forth.

Here it is. My favorite Homestuck page.

Dave wants to please Bro and goes along with his shtick no matter how far he pushes the envelope. This only encourages Bro to go further and further in his methods of fucking with Dave. Is his end goal to push Dave to a breaking point, or does he truly hope something with click that will make Dave truly understand him? Either way, it's fucked up.

I didn't want to get into Bro Discourse during this reread. I know there are opposing camps who either think he's a monstrous child abuser, or a silly guy who did no wrong. Personally, I think that while he doesn't read as outright malicious, it's safe to say this dude is a menace and has no business raising a kid.

It's really skeevy of Bro to incorporate his underage brother in his fetish videos, which will doubtless be uploaded to his site for others to view. This is probably the one of the more damning things he's guilty of.

Bro has reduced the kitchen as a storage space for his weapons. It's a wonder how he's able to take care of himself, let alone a child.

It's stated that Bro doesn't have anywhere else to store his stuff, which further reinforces my theory that Dave has the only bedroom in the apartment.

Yes. Thank you. One can only watch characters launch objects at high speeds for so long.

Dave's sylladex shenanigans are a little more tolerable than John's. Assigning different names to objects in order to make them fit in the modus is more fun than watching things eject once the deck is full.

This metaphor caught me off guard. It's so abrupt and out of pocket, I love it.

Shit's about to go down. Let's see how things resolve when I finish Act 2 next week.

Read the next post here.

#homestuck #homestuck reread #rose lalonde #jade harley #john egbert #dave strider #bro strider #daverose

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bleach-boyz · 1 year ago

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Chapter 5: Haggard

prev. // next

In late 2002, Jackass: The Movie was released to monumental success, and the whole cast became full-blown celebrities. Audiences loved it, and its popularity led to each cast and crew member getting lots of recognition and a huge check. This was the first time you felt not only creatively satisfied but financially satisfied by a project you worked on. The entire experience truly felt like a gift.

As a member of the crew, you were able to go to all the promotional events and parties the cast were invited to, which meant you got to meet and party with countless famous people.

The partying had definitely been taken to the next level in terms of how fucked up everyone would get. You’d occasionally take part in some pills or other drugs that were offered to you, but mainly you stuck to just drinking. You definitely couldn’t keep up with Steve-O or Pontius for very long at a Hollywood party, but you’d stay on pace with people like Ryan or Knoxville.

Truly, your lives had never been more crazy, but with Bam, there was always another project to work on. Even while you were working on Jackass, he’d been insisting you still pump out new CKY films, the fourth of which was released only a month after the Jackass movie. He was an extremely ambitious force, which you admired, but it meant there was rarely a break from the chaotic lifestyle you’d all adopted.

Earlier in 2002, while Jackass: The Movie and CKY 4 were in post-production, waiting to be released, Bam had come to you with his idea for the movie Haggard, which he’d started writing recently. He wanted you to work closely with Joe Frantz, basically just being another assistant director like you were for the Jackass movie. You agreed, but there was one aspect that made you hesitant to be involved.

The film was about Ryan Dunn’s relationships.

After your dramatic acceptance of your feelings towards Ryan that night in Tokyo, you had been avoiding spending too much alone time with him for your own sanity. Although his breakup had actually stuck this time, he definitely still needed space to figure himself out and move past it all. You hoped that’s what Haggard would do: let him release all his frustration and finally walk away.

Still, you two continued to be around each other constantly with all these projects you were working on, and Ryan kept confiding in you with his feelings about the breakup when he could get you alone. He still looked to you as his friend and someone to lean on, and even though the platonic nature of your relationship pained you, you couldn’t deny him what he needed.

You’d resolved for your feelings to remain unrequited, at least till the end of shooting for Haggard. It was borderline masochistic on your end, but you felt a responsibility to your friends and coworkers to make sure there was no interpersonal drama or complication. You’ll reassess whether or not it’s time to say something once the film is done.

Filming in West Chester for Haggard was a bit complicated sometimes. The director and star of the film were now super famous and in high demand, and Bam, in particular, was always having to fly out at the last minute for random appearances and projects. The constant stopping and starting was annoying to you since you were the one having to make the shooting schedule. You had a late June release date in 2003, so you were working overtime to plan everything out. Really, all you could do was make sure you filmed as much as possible when everyone was in town.

There were some particular scenes that you weren’t looking forward to filming—those being between Ryan and his new love interest, “Heather”. For obvious reasons, helping direct and film your crush being intimate with someone else would be difficult for you, and you were especially insecure about it because Jenn had asked a really attractive friend of hers to play the role.

Jenn actually found out about your crush on Ryan during a drunken confession one night when you two were out alone. You’d sworn her to secrecy, and as far as you knew, she hadn’t told Bam. She would often encourage you to make a move or tell him your feelings, but you insisted that it wait.

The only other person who knew about your feelings for Ryan besides Jenn was Dico. You hadn’t intended on telling him either, but after living with someone for so many years, you’re able to pick up on subtle changes to their usual behavior. He’d noticed the way you avoided taking smoke breaks with Ryan as often and how you’d make sure when you all went to bars or restaurants you weren’t ever sitting next to him. At first, Dico thought something had happened to make you dislike Ryan, but after an interrogation, you just decided to tell him. You also swore him to secrecy, and although it didn’t seem like it had gotten out yet, neither Jenn nor Dico were historically good at keeping anything quiet for too long. You were anxiously awaiting the day Bam or Raab would bring your crush up publicly to embarrass you.

The first night you were scheduled to shoot with Ryan’s love interest “Heather”, you were shooting in a local bar that had agreed to let you film for an hour. All you really needed was some b-roll of the two being lovey-dovey to establish the budding romance.

"Well, where the fuck is she?” Bam asks Jenn as she comes inside after calling her friend. We are all set up to film, but the girl who’s supposed to play Heather is nowhere to be seen.

“She’s not coming.” Jenn says.

“What do you mean she’s not coming? Why not?” Bam asks, annoyed. You can tell he’s starting to get a bit cranky, like he usually does at the end of a long day of shooting. Jenn rolls her eyes.

“I don’t know what to tell you. She said her boyfriend got skeeved out at the last second about her making out with some random guy, and he won’t let her do it.” Jenn says, and you furrow your eyebrows.

“Well, what are we gonna do? Frantz and I are getting on a plane tomorrow to shoot the HIM video, and we only have the bar today for like 45 more minutes.” Bam states.

“We’ll just get someone else here to do it.” Jenn says and looks over at you suggestively. Bam notices this, and your eyes widen. No way did she mean you. This had to be a joke.

“You don’t have any other hot friends who could get here quick?” Bam asks Jenn.

“Not quick enough. Also, most of them already said no when I was asking around for someone to play the part in the first place.” Jenn responds, and Bam pouts and grabs the shooting schedule for the rest of the month from Joe. This is supposed to be the last month of filming, and every day Bam is going to be in town, we have something else lined up.

“It would be best to find a way to do it now. It was already a bitch getting the owner to allow us this time today; we’d have to find another day he’s okay with, and I doubt he’d give us a time that would fit into our current schedule. We’d have to rearrange things, and we’re already running behind given our release date.” Joe explains. Bam sighs grumpily.

“This is the best option; it’ll be great.” Jenn says, smiling at you. You suddenly remember what the conversation is about, and you start sweating and shaking your head.

“Well, alright, fine.” Bam says as he scans you up and down. “You’ll need a different shirt, but I guess it’ll work. Jenn, you two switch shirts.” He says. You look down at your shirt, which is an oversized WaWa t-shirt. Bam would have to blur out a logo like that in post.

“Wait! I don’t know if this is such a good idea." You finally get some words of objection out. You aren’t an actor! And there's no way you’ll be able to keep your cool playing Ryan’s love interest.

“I don’t want you to do it either, but do you see any other chicks here?” Bam asks, and you look around. Nothing but dudes. Fuck.

“Can I talk to you in the bathroom?” You ask Jenn and grab her arm before she can answer. You two walk through the bathroom door, and you cross your arms.

“What the hell was that?” You ask, and Jenn throws her arms up in defense.

“What?”

“Your friend doesn’t even have a boyfriend.” You say, and Jenn smirks.

“Yeah, but I thought I’d help you out with your little crush.” She says.

“How is this gonna help me?” You ask, rubbing your face with your hands.

“Well, you two can finally kiss and be intimate, which is what YOU want. And Ryan will totally be into it and realize how horny he is for you, and if he’s not lame, he’ll ask you out or whatever.” She explains.

“That’s very optimistic... Also, we’re shooting a movie; none of it will be genuine.” You say.

“Who cares?”

“I don’t know Jenn,” you start, and then hear a pounding at the door.

"Cmon, we’re running out of time!” Bam yells from the other side.

“Look, if you really don’t wanna do it, then you can go tell everyone out there I lied, but I think you should just get over it and see what happens.” Jenn says.

You sigh. You know that, feelings for Ryan aside, you are the only option if you all want to keep this film on schedule. That commitment and responsibility would have been enough to make you agree without thinking, had your scene partner been anyone else. That fact that it’s Ryan, though, makes you incredibly nervous and hesitant. You are mainly afraid you’ll somehow, through acting, reveal your true feelings and embarrass yourself. However, you’d be lying if you said there wasn’t anything exciting about the situation. Jenn is right; you do desperately want to kiss and be intimate with him, and you are compelled to just take what you can get, regardless of how “real” it will be.

Knowing you need to make a decision, you finally cave and take your top off. “Give me your shirt.”

When you two walk out of the bathroom, you spot Ryan wearing an eyepatch and sitting on a bar stool at a small table in the back of the bar. You could only reserve the back section for shooting, so there are a few random customers milling about, mostly paying no mind to the camera.

You feel very self-conscious, as already a few men are eyeing you. Jenn is smaller than you, so her black top fits you very tightly. Additionally, it’s pretty low-cut, leaving you showing off more cleavage than you usually do in public. You haven’t been exceedingly insecure about your body since high school, but you still feel most comfortable in oversized t-shirts and sweaters. A lot of the time, you get jealous looking at women like Jenn, who wear a lot more feminine and fitted clothing, because you don’t think you have the confidence and body to pull off wearing anything similar. Right now, this self-consciousness is only exacerbating your feelings of anxiety over the entire situation. You cross your arms in front of your chest and nervously walk over to where Ryan is sitting. When you arrive, he looks up at you and smiles.

“Are you okay with me filling in?” You ask, making sure he isn’t uncomfortable with the idea.

“Oh yeah, it’s chill; I don’t mind.” He says.

You sigh, relieved, and drop your arms as Bam heads over to you.

“I should make you two switch shirts more often.” He says, and you roll your eyes and maybe catch Ryan checking you out in the process. That gives you the tiniest boost of confidence, and you sit down on the stool across from Ryan. You take a sip of the beer that has been sitting on the table.

“Just tell me what I have to do again.” You say, feigning annoyance when really all you can feel is unease.

“All I need is like a few minutes of footage of you two being flirty and talking and kissing or whatever. I’ll speed it up in post and throw a song over it, so it doesn’t really matter what you say. You just need to seem into each other. Try not to look awkward.” He says and directs that last part to you.

“I’ll do my best.” You say sarcastically and look over at Ryan. His face is unreadable.

Bam walks back behind the camera, and the two of you are left staring at each other. You want to say something—maybe crack a joke to diffuse the tension—but you can’t.

“I hope this isn’t too weird for you.” He finally says, and you take a deep breath.

"Well, is it weird for you?”

Before he can answer you, Bam calls action.

It’s not quiet, due to the commotion happening in the other parts of the bar, but all of that feels incredibly distant. You somehow manage to keep your eyes on Ryan, lean in, and put your elbows down on the table to prop your head up with your hands.

Ryan takes this as his sign to move closer, and you feel his legs intertwine with yours under the table. He lights a cigarette.

“I don’t know what to say," Ryan says as he takes a puff.

“Me neither.” You say and observe Ryan’s body language. He is leaning in, but his speech and his face make him seem a bit timid now. He’s nervous, maybe. He is playing with his cigarette in his hand, and you can feel his leg shaking under the table. He doesn’t look uncomfortable necessarily; he's just a little lost on what to do and antsy. This display diminishes a lot of the intimidation you were feeling, and you realize that you need to take the lead.

You lean forward even more and grab Ryan’s free hand with yours. He looks down at this and then back up at you.

“Just be normal. Act like I’m a girl you really like.” You say, trying to focus him in for the sake of footage but also pining for his attention. You two had never really been in a position like this, and you’d spent the last few months so needy for his touch that you don’t care if your friends are watching and filming you now. You want him badly.

Out of the corner of your eye, you see Joe bring another camera over to film from a different angle. You look at him for a second before Ryan lets go of your hand and grabs your chin to focus your eyes back towards him. You feel your face burning up; you’re wearing makeup today, though, so hopefully the redness doesn’t show.

Ryan tucks a piece of your hair behind your ear and offers you the cigarette he’s smoking. You try to keep your hand steady as you grab it and take a puff, never letting your eyes leave Ryan. You hand it back to him, and his other hand goes back to holding yours. You look down and think about how big his hands are compared to yours.

“What are you thinking about?” Ryan asks, and you look back up at him. His energy shifted entirely after what you said, and now everything about him is dripping with confidence and flirtation. You don’t know if he’s just a good actor or if there may be something real to it, but you are absolutely not in a position to complain. You decide if he’s going to turn it up, you might as well go for it too. The fact that you can hide your real feelings behind the pretense of acting drives you to take your chance and be as forward as you like.

“Your hands are big.” You say, playing with his hand.

“Yeah?” He says and watches you, amused.

“Also,” you begin, eyeing him coyly, “it’s probably time for you to kiss me.” He raises his eyebrows. You have a tiny moment of regret, afraid you might have made Ryan uncomfortable, but soon after, he’s smirking and leaning in. You hold your breath and lean in too.

It’s just a peck, but as he pulls away from you, you can’t help smiling. It was innocent and only lasted a second, but you can’t help feeling so happy. You know you may be giving yourself away, but Ryan’s face surprisingly reads just as content as yours. Before you can say anything, he’s leaning in again to give you another quick peck. When your lips touch, your heart skips a beat, and when he pulls back, you feel all giddy.

You think you hear Ryan say “cute” under his breath before he takes another drag of his cigarette. Soon after, Bam calls cut, and you’re brought back to reality.

“Good, now I wanna get some more footage of you guys standing up over here.” Bam points next to the pool table.

You wait for Ryan to get up before moving yourself. You follow behind him to where Bam had pointed. You try to regain composure and not think too much about the fact that you just kissed your crush for the first time. Well, the first two times in fact.

You and Ryan stand opposite of each other as Joe sets up the cameras.

“Having fun?” Ryan asks you, and you let out a pained laugh. You resent the fact that he can stay so calm during this.

“It’s alright.” You say and he grins. He’s being so cheeky, and it’s impossible to tell if he’s enjoying being intimate with you or if he’s just entertained by the whole situation.

“Alright, ready to go.” Joe says, and soon after, Bam is calling action again.

Ryan immediately grabs your waist and pulls your body closer to his. You feel weak over how close your bodies are and grab Ryan’s hand to steady yourself.

Being affectionate with Ryan makes you painfully aware of how much you miss being this close to someone. All this time, you’ve been yearning for Ryan, but above that, you yearn for someone to hold you, a companion, someone who desires you as much as you desire them. Behaving like this warms you up inside. Ryan kisses you on the forehead, and you swear you’re about to melt.

You stay close like this for only about a minute before Bam yells cut again. It takes you a little longer than last time to snap out of it and let go of Ryan. When you finally do and take a step back, you feel cold.

"Alright, we just need to get some more interior and exterior b-roll of the bar, but you guys don’t have to be in that. We’ll meet you back over at Ryan’s for the sex scene.” Joe says, and you freeze.

“Sex scene?!” You ask frantically. You don’t remember ever talking about that.

“It’s not really a sex scene; we just need some footage of you guys making out for the end when we show all the couples getting together.” Joe explains, and now you remember.

It’s one thing to do cutesy flirting and tiny kisses with Ryan; it’s another to put yourself in a compromising position and fully make out with him. When you agreed to step in and play the part earlier, it totally slipped your mind that you would not only have to film the bar scenes, you’d have to film all of them.

“Do we really have to?” You ask for your own sake and catch Ryan raising a quizzical eyebrow at you. You realize that he’d known this whole time that he’d have to make out with you, yet hadn’t shown any concern about it.

Of course, you’ve imagined making out and even having sex with Ryan. Late at night, you’d often fantasize about different scenarios that would lead to the two of you being physically intimate. Needless to say, the situation unfolding right now is not at all similar to any of your past fantasies, and you really have no idea what to expect from Ryan. All you know is that the chances of you keeping your composure are slim to none.

“Every romance movie needs an obligatory sex montage. Keeps the dudes interested.” Bam states.

“This is a romance movie?” You ask.

“Look, just drive over there; we’ll meet you.” He says, and you make eye contact with Jenn across the room. You signal for her to come with you and you make her get in your car with you.

“I don’t know what I’m gonna do here, Jenn. You gotta help me.” You say as you two sit inside your car, still parked outside the bar.

“You’re doing great; you two looked so cute.” She says as she adjusts the rear view mirror to look at herself.

“This whole thing is so weird. It’s gonna freak him out if he finds out I actually like him.” You groan.

"No, it won’t. I swear he looked really into you in there. And Ryan is definitely not a good enough actor to fake something like that. If anything, he’s probably gonna pop a boner when you make out later.” She jokes, and you throw your head back against the seat.

“Jenn,” you start, and then hear someone knock on your window. The sound surprises you, and you jolt forward, only to see it was Ryan. You roll your window down.

"Sorry, you know how to get to my apartment, right?” He asks.

“We’ll just follow you.” Jenn responds, and Ryan nods and leaves. You roll your window back up and start your car.

“I’m gonna be sick.” You say as your nerves travel from your chest to your stomach.

“It’ll be hot.” Jenn says and smiles mischievously at you.

You get back to Ryan's, and it’s just you, him, Jenn, and Ryan’s roommate Justin for a little while.

While you wait for the others to show up, you all have a couple beers and a casual conversation. You feel awkward because all you can think about is what comes next, so you hardly say anything, just listen. Jenn tries to get up at one point, but you grab her leg and make her stay by your side. You catch Ryan eyeing you periodically, but do your best to ignore it. You have to focus all your energy on attempting to appear normal.

When Bam and Joe finally arrive, you’re a few beers deep and feeling slightly more relaxed. As they set up the camera, Jenn comes up beside you and offers a mint.

“Funny.” You say sarcastically but still grab one.

“Don’t worry, I gave Ryan one too.” She laughs.

They set up the camera in Justin’s room because Ryan sleeps on a mattress on the floor in the basement. You feel a little weird about making out on a random dude's bed while he’s in the building, but he assures you it’s fine.

You and Ryan enter the bedroom, and it’s about as quiet and weird as you expected it to be.

"Okay, so I guess just lay down and both of you take your shirt off." Bam starts, and your heart thumps louder than you’ve ever heard it thump before. You look over at Ryan, who is already taking his shirt off, and you slowly start to do the same. You try to tell yourself that it’s no different than going to the pool, as you are left in just a bra on your top half. You then go to lay down on the bed and watch as Ryan comes up beside you and stares down at you. You shiver and avert your eyes.

"Alright, now I know this is kinda weird or whatever, but I just need you guys to make out for about a minute. The camera is gonna be really close to your faces, but try to ignore it; definitely don’t look at it. I’m gonna start rolling now, so just go whenever.” Bam instructs.

You look out at Bam and Joe right up on you, and Jenn is watching from the doorway. Your breathing increases, and you feel your face warm up at how tense and uncomfortable the atmosphere is. You then feel the pressure of the bed shift as Ryan starts climbing on top of you, caging you in.

“Are you okay?” He asks as he holds himself over top of you.

Are you okay? Well, no, you’re not. At no point throughout this whole process have you been okay. You’ve only been able to get through so far by focusing on your feelings of responsibility and desire. You felt responsible to keep the film schedule on track, to help your friends when a problem arose, and to fix it. And you felt desire—the desire to touch Ryan, to be with him no matter the circumstance. It’s clear now, as you look at him over top of you, which of these two feelings is starting to take over again.

Ryan’s face reads as protective and eager while he waits for your answer. You can tell he’s concerned about your comfortability in this moment, but you see an unbridled hunger in his eyes, like he could pounce any second. This look sends a surge of lust through you, and suddenly everyone else in the room falls away in your mind.

You reach out and grab Ryan’s face, pulling him down and connecting your lips into a kiss. There’s a half-second of surprise from his end before he’s kissing back with fervor, supporting his weight with one hand, and holding your face with the other.

You try to keep up as he takes control over the situation, forcefully slipping his tongue into your mouth. He kisses you like he needs it to live, and his passion and dominance does nothing but turn you on.

You tangle your fingers in his hair and let one of your hands travel down his back. Ryan’s body rocks back and forth, causing your crotches to graze over each other ever so slightly. You almost whine, wanting more friction, but suppress it and kiss him back with even more neediness.

At some point, he starts kissing your neck, and your head starts spinning. He sucks on your skin ever so slightly, and you can’t help this time from letting out a small moan. He stops what he’s doing and looks at you ardently, clearly excited by the noise you just made. You blush and just pull his head back up to keep kissing you.

After a few more moments, you hear Bam yell cut, but it feels far away. You somehow manage to snap out of your daze and pull your lips away from Ryan, opening your eyes and seeing all the others in the room staring at you two.

You, feeling suddenly embarrassed by how taken away you got, push Ryan off of you. He looks just as out of it and goes to sit on the end of the bed.

“Jesus Christ you guys.” Bam says teasingly.

“Are we good?” You ask bashfully as you sit up.

“Yeah, good work.” He says, still poking fun at you, and you get up, put on your shirt, and leave the room. Jenn follows you out to the kitchen, and you let out a huge breath you didn’t know you were holding in.

“That was crazy.” She says, and you shush her, afraid the others might hear.

"Sorry, it’s just that he’s definitely into you.” Jenn whispers.

Up until now, you wouldn’t have believed that, but what just happened in that room had you rethinking a lot of things. Ryan had come at you with such force and need that you didn’t see how it could be fake. All this time, you’ve thought your crush was hopeless and that Ryan would only ever be able to see you as his friend. Now, you weren’t sure what to think. You know that your behavior exposed your own feelings, though, and you definitely don't want to know anyone's opinion on it right now.

Ryan, Bam, and Joe walk out of the bedroom, and Ryan looks distracted. Bam and Joe seem to be laughing to each other about something, likely what just occurred.

Part of you wants to talk to Ryan about what happened, and part of you wants to take him back into the bedroom and continue it. Your thoughts feel too scattered to be able to speak coherently, though, and you can’t shed how flustered you feel having been filmed getting so carried away in front of your friends.

“I have to go cause, uh… well, Dico and I were gonna watch a movie, and uh… yeah.” You say, quickly wave, leave the room, and head out the front door before anyone can respond.

You silently drive yourself back to your apartment, ignoring Dico once you get there and throwing yourself down on your bed.

You check your cell phone and see a missed call from Jenn. You grunt and toss your phone on the floor.

What did this all mean? That’s all you could ask yourself as you lay down in the dark.

Ryan had clearly kissed you the way you’d kiss someone you liked. You couldn’t deny that. If he did like you, though, how long had he liked you? It can’t have been too long, seeing as he’s been so hung up on his ex. Had he just realized it today, as Jenn said he would? What does he want? To fuck? To date? Nothing? There are too many questions.

You are adult enough to know there’s no way to get an answers without talking to Ryan directly, but god, that’s so scary. There’s always the chance that his behavior was just a momentary lapse of control. That he, having not been intimate with someone in a while, got carried away, and it had nothing to do with you being you. If that were the case, bringing it up might only make things awkward.

Regardless of what his deal is, you’re now stuck playing his love interest in the movie. Luckily, there aren’t many other scenes you have to be in, and none of them are like the ones you did today. Nevertheless, you're dreading having to meet for those scenes now that you've made yourself so transparent, and you know you'll be unable to avoid any teasing from Bam and Joe.

You roll over on your back and stare at the ceiling. Even through all this worrying, you can’t help but crack a hopeful smile.

Because maybe this is the start of something.

---------------

Heyyyyy. It's been a second since my last chapter, so sorry about that. Things are moving hehe. Again I appreciate everyone reading, hopefully you like the way things are going. Finally gonna move into Viva La Bam era next chapter and we're gonna stay there for the rest of the story. Lmk if you wanna get tagged.

@arsonistsloth

#ryan dunn #bam margera #brandon dicamillo #chris raab #jackass #cky #cky crew #jess margera #viva la bam #rake yohn #cky x reader #my fic #cky imagine

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kaze-writes · 6 months ago

Text

Temporary Fix

Based on this ask from @drinkyoursoupbitch

Summary: Equinox is taking its very first steps as a band founded by uni friends and Jaz and Leon find themselves just the two of them for the very first time, in a venue Jaz would never have dreamed of going. Warning: Mentions of alcohol and drugs, popular band trashing (pls don't come for me, it's for the story)

You caught my attention, you were looking at me first All that I can see's you waking up in my t-shirt If you're not hooked on anything right now, I can be your vice

~ One Direction - Temporary Fix ~

“Take a deep breath, hold it in your lungs. Embrace the fire. Find your balance. Switch.”

Jaz let out the breath she’d been dying to let go in a huff and moved, lowering her head to in between her arms as she stretched her legs. A drop of sweat loosened itself from between her shoulder blades and along her upside-down spine, causing her to shiver. The tickling distracted her, and even though she tried her best to follow the instructions she was given, she lagged behind as the rest of her yoga class moved into a more elaborate position. Having missed the teacher’s explanation, she did her best to mimic what everybody else was doing.

”Rotate your shoulders in and shift your weight. It’s easier that way.”

Blowing against the ponytail, which had fallen into her face, Jaz gave Leon, who was now walking through the rows of mats correcting positions a dubious look.

”I don’t think I can move in any way at all.”

His lips twitching, Leon reached out and lightly pushed against a spot above her shoulder blades. Suddenly, the weight which had started to make her arms shake was gone, and Jaz let out the breath she realised she had definitely been holding. She gave Leon a thankful look but he was already gone, ready to help the next of his students. On the mat next to her, her friend Mel was rolling her eyes, mouthing a silent ‘Bullshit!’ as she caught Jaz looking. They shared a chuckle but Jaz’s thoughts soon wandered back towards Leon.

Ever since she and Mel had started up their new band with him and his sister Mara a couple of months ago, Jaz had made it a point to go (and drag Mel) to the yoga classes Leon was teaching at a small studio near the MMU campus. He was a great teacher and Jaz usually enjoyed his classes immensely but something about Leon seemed off today. She had noticed earlier when they had all met for lunch in the university canteen, and the day before during band rehearsal; there was a strain to him that Jaz had never noticed before, a sudden restlessness beneath his usual calm demeanour that was entirely unlike him. She was curious to know why but so far, there had been no opportunity to find out.

As everyone settled down for the meditation that concluded all of Leon’s classes, Jaz found herself entirely unable to concentrate. She fidgeted in her seat, moving her hands from her thighs to her knees and back again. Her thoughts had strayed to Leon again, and giving up on her chance of inner peace for the day, she opened her eyes again.

He sat in front of the class like he always would but instead of guiding their meditation with his voice he was quiet today. His face was turned towards the big window next to him, where late autumn sunlight was slanting inside, basking him in its glow. His back was perfectly straight, both his feet resting on top of his knees in a lotus seat. His hands were folded in his lap and everything about him was still but it was far from peaceful. Jaz thought that he looked lost in thought, sad somehow, as if he was trying to hold on to something, too scared that it might slip away if moved only the slightest bit.

When the class was over and everyone but her and Mel had left, she seized her chance.

”What’s up with you today?”

”Hm?” Leon only briefly glanced up from the props he was putting away. “What do you mean? I’m perfectly fine.”

”No, you’re not,” Jaz insisted, trodding after him with her arms full of yoga blocks. “You’re quiet. You barely said a word during meditation.”

“I believe that’s the whole point of it.”

The corners of Leon’s mouth twitched but the smile didn’t reach his eyes and he quickly looked away again. Jaz clicked her tongue.

”This is about Clary, isn’t it?”

Leon’s shoulders stiffened. “What about Clary?”

”Have you given her your present yet? Didn’t she like it?”

“Didn’t he tell you?” a familiar drawl sounded from the door, where Mara, the fourth member of their group had appeared to pick them up. The sneer on her face was even more distinct than usual. “That bitch broke up with him.”

Jaz gasped, heat creeping up her neck. “Oh God, I had no idea. I’m so sorry.”

Leon merely shrugged but a defeated look had crossed his face. “No need. Not like you could know.”

”That’s shit, mate,” Mel said and clapped him on the back. “What’re you doing with those tickets now? Mara said they cost a fortune.”

Again Leon shrugged. “I don’t know. Sell them probably, if I can find a buyer on such short notice.” Half-jokingly he added, “Unless one of you would like to come?”

Both Mara and Mel shook their heads, Mara immediately so. Feeling like she needed to make up for her blunder earlier, Jaz gave them a look and shrugged her shoulders.

”Why not? Who were you going to see, anyway?”

”You’ll find out,” Mara cut Leon off, her grin wider than Jaz had ever seen before. “You’re going to have a blast.”

***

London’s O2 Arena could fit up to twenty thousand people, and from the looks of it, all of the seats would be filled. Jaz turned her head left and right as she and Leon made their way from North Greenwich Station towards the massive structure on the side of the River Thames. Her brows knitted together in a frown as she noticed the age of the people - almost exclusively girls - headed in the same direction as them, but her questioning looks in Leon’s direction were being ignored. She had asked him who they were going to watch again and again but he kept shrouding himself in silence. Jaz suspected that Mel had found out but judging by the cackle she had received when Leon had picked her up, Jaz couldn’t shake the foreboding feeling that she might regret what she had so blindly agreed on.

”We’re almost there,” she tried for the tenth time, provoking only a strained smile from Leon’s side. “You might as well tell me.”

”As you said,” shrugged Leon, hands buried deeply in his pocket, “we’re almost there. You’re gonna find out in a minute.”

He looked uncomfortable as he said so, and it took Jaz only a couple more minutes and a glimpse at the giant posters surrounding the entrance to the arena to find out why. She stopped dead in her tracks.

”You’re kidding.”

”They’re supposed to be quite good.”

”One Direction?” She shot Leon an accusing look. “I trusted you. I thought your taste was decent.”

”I’ve never taken you for a snob.”

Jaz wrinkled her nose. “I’m not a snob.”

”Sounds suspiciously like it.”

”I just don’t like mass-produced pop music.”

More than one girl clad in fan memorabilia gave Jaz a dark look as they passed her. Leon, on the other hand, only shrugged.

”Neither do I. The tickets were a gift, remember?”

“Good thing she dumped you. Really dodged a bullet there.” Seeing the smile that had appeared on Leon’s face falter, Jaz cursed herself for speaking before thinking. “Sorry. Too soon?”

“Only a little.”

He sounded defeated, the same tension Jaz had noticed in the yoga studio the other day having crept into his posture again. Sighing, Jaz nudged him with her shoulder and put a smile on her face.

“Stop the gloom. Come on. Let’s get drunk and see what One Direction has to offer.”

Much to Jaz’s disappointment, it turned out that there was, in fact, nothing to get drunk on. Once inside the vast arena and in their seats, Jaz let her eyes wander over the crowd assembled around them. It consisted almost exclusively of girls much younger than her, and once again she felt a pang of astonished disbelief that she, of all people, had made it to a pop concert. The people around them were buzzing with excitement - some of them squealing for their idols already - and she suddenly longed for the relaxed atmosphere of the small to mid-sized rock shows she usually attended.

Next to her, Leon seemed to think no differently. The conversation normally flowing so effortlessly between them had ceased during their wait before admittance, and the answers Jaz was able to draw from him now were half-hearted at best. She didn’t know whether it was the venue, the act they were about to see, or the fact that she was in the spot his (ex) girlfriend was supposed to sit, but the atmosphere was strained where it had never been before, which wasn’t a feeling Jaz liked one bit.

She tapped Leon on the shoulder.

”We still have some time,” she almost screamed at him as a roar went up over a roadie adjusting something on the stylised stage. “Shall we get a breather?”

Something like relief crossed Leon’s face. “Smoking area is out back.”

”I don’t smoke.”

”Not talking about cigarettes, am I?”

Giggling, Jaz rose from her seat and led the way outside. Once they had found a secluded corner away from most of the hustle and bustle, she stood close to Leon, blocking view of him while he produced a colourful woven pouch out of his pockets, rolling the dried herbs inside into a paper with deft fingers. He lit up and passed the joint to Jaz, who took a long drag, feeling the warmth spread inside her body.

”Do you realise,” Leon said after they had passed the joint back and forth a couple of times, “that this is the first time we’re doing something together, just the two of us?”

Stunned, Jaz tilted her head. “No, it’s not.”

“Yes, it is.”

”Wow.” She blew smoke into the air, trying not to giggle as it tickled past her lips. “Is that why you’re acting all strange and mood and gloom today?” She laughed when Leon shrugged, nudging his foot with the tip of her trainers. “There’s no need. I’m delightful company.”

”I know.”

”And this is not a date either.”

”I know it’s not.”

”Because that’d be against the rules.”

”Very much so.”

”They’re good rules,” Jaz sighed, passing Leon back the weed. “Focus on the music and don’t get distracted fucking around. Makes sense.”

”Rich is a great manager. He knows what he’s doing.”

They fell silent again. Jaz sighed.

”Listen, both of us have imagined this evening very differently but we’re here now, and that’s a fact. No use making ourselves have a shit time, is it?”

Tentatively, Leon gave her a strained smile. “I guess not.”

”See? Hang on.” Turning away, Jaz quickly walked over to the tired-looking set of parents standing a little to the side of the smoking area, as suspiciously close to each other as she and Leon. When she returned, she triumphantly held two tiny bottles of clear liquor into Leon’s face. An astounded look crossed his face. His lips twitched.

”You’re incredible.”

”What’s new?” Unscrewing the lid, she toasted to Leon with a wink. “To our non-date.”

Grinning, Leon stubbed out their joint and brought the bottled shot to his lips. “To One Direction.”

When they returned inside, the crowd was buzzing with anticipation. The show must have been about to start, yet there were still people lined up along the merchandise store as Leon and Jaz passed there. A group of girls was huddled around a poster one of them had just purchased, discussing the boys smiling at them from the print with flushed cheeks. Every now and again, they would cast furtive looks in Leon’s direction, who pretended not to notice. Still feeling the effect of the weed, Jaz bit back a laugh and approached them. Frowning, Leon followed her.

”Are you as excited as I am?” she beamed at the confused girls. “Can’t be much longer now.”

One of them, a tall girl with hearts painted on both her cheeks, eyed her warily. “Do we know you?”

”All Directioners, are we not?” Jaz gave Leon a sideways look and smirked. “My boyfriend here was so excited to see One Direction, you have no idea.”

”What to say,” Leon sighed and put an arm around her shoulder, not missing a beat playing along. “Can’t help getting drawn in when your girlfriend erects a shrine to Harry Styles in your bedroom, can you?”

Looking between themselves, the girls shuffled away, leaving Jaz and Leon behind, giggling to themselves.

“You take me for a Harry Styles girl?” Jaz raised her eyebrow as they made their way back to their seats. “Really?”

”He’s got nice hair, or so I’ve been told.”

”’Told’, hm?” Jaz laughed. “I’ll think about it if he grows himself a beard.”

Leon said nothing, corners of his mouth twitching as he removed the arm that had kept resting around Jaz’s shoulders.

The high of the weed soon wore off but once the show had started, Jaz found that, unexpectedly, she didn’t mind. The music was run-of-the-mill pop, just like she had expected, but the energy of the crowd was incredible. She soon bopped along to the beat, and Leon next to her was doing the same. Every now and then, she stole a glance at him when she thought he wouldn’t notice. He, too, was nodding his head in time with the music, and after about half of the setlist, all the tension in his shoulders seemed to have disappeared. He was as relaxed as Jaz had known him to be, a sort of calm to his movements that made him seem peaceful even when the whole arena around him was dancing. It was good to see him like this. It was good to be here with him like this.

Her surprisingly good mood carried Jaz through the rest of the show, and even the tightly packed tube leaving from North Greenwich Station couldn’t shake her. She and Leon stood to the side of the wagon, engaged in a hearty debate about the show. He had his hand hooked into the holds running along the ceiling, while Jaz, being too small to reach them comfortably, resorted to sticking close to Leon.

The night was mellow when they got off the station, a mellow wind ruffling Jaz’s hair as they ascended from underground. It was a good deal to walk to where she and Mel were sharing their flat but Jaz hardly noticed. She and Leon were still talking, about tonight’s show, other shows they had attended, shows they might themselves potentially play should everything work out how Rich had promised them to.

“You’re never quite still, are you?”

”Huh? What do you mean?” They had stopped at a traffic light, waiting for it to turn green. Lost in thought, Jaz had been humming one of the songs that had been stuck in her head ever since leaving the arena, tapping both her foot and fingers to two different rhythms. It was this Leon nodded his head at.

”Whenever there is music, you move. And mostly when there isn’t, you do, too. No denying it,” he laughed when Jaz opened her mouth to protest, “I’ve seen you during my classes. You’re the only one who can't seem to sit still even for a moment.”

“I can’t help it,” Jaz shrugged. Her cheeks were warm but there was a smile forming on her face. “It’s a drummer thing, I guess.”

”Music is in your blood.” The smile mirrored on Leon’s face grew wider, and a tiny bit lopsided as he pointed between them. “That’s why we work. So you didn’t think tonight was all awful?”

”I don’t know.” Jaz pulled a face. “I can’t bring myself to say anything nice about One Direction, I don’t think.”

”So you’re a snob after all.” Laughing, he stepped sideways when Jaz made to hit him. “Personally, I think they weren’t that bad. Maybe Clary had more taste than I gave her credit for.”

His voice faltered at the last words, the spark in his eyes entirely disappeared again. Suddenly, he looked so crestfallen that it made Jaz angry. He didn’t deserve to be treated like this; no one did, but least of all him.

”She has no taste whatsoever,” she said sharply, holding up a finger when Leon made to defend her. “If she had, she wouldn’t have dumped you like she did.”

”She had every right to.”

”I don’t care. She was dumb to. You’re a great person, Leon - an amazing person, even - and you’re kind and funny and good-looking and an incredible musician and if she for one moment thought otherwise...” Jaz shrugged angrily. “No idea how to help her then.”

It took Leon a moment to answer. He swallowed heavily. “That’s… kind of you to say.”

”Even though I am hurting because of you.”

Astounded, Leon stopped walking. Jaz did too. They had reached the building where she and Mel lived, and she had already been climbing the first step leading up to the front door, making her and Leon almost level-eyed. There was surprise in them, and a flicker of something else Jaz wasn’t quite sure how to read.

”What makes you say that?”

”It’s true,” she said casually, forcing herself to look away. She didn’t know why she’d said it, to lighten the mood maybe. It was always like this with Leon - he made her speak before she thought. He made her be in the moment, wholly and entirely. It was one of the qualities she liked about him the most. “Every time I come out of your classes I feel worse than after CrossFit. I thought yoga was supposed to be relaxing.”

”Peace of body and mind is all the sweeter for having earned it.” His face lay half-hidden in the shadows cast by a nearby street light but something in his eyes had changed. A spark. A challenge? “Where are you hurting?”

”Where not? Mostly here, though.”

She pointed at the top of her shoulders, right where they met her neck. Leon stepped closer, putting his hand on the corresponding spot. Her pain there wasn’t nearly half as bad as she had made it sound but Jaz found that she cared less about this than the slight pressure of Leon’s hand as his thumb brushed over her shoulder, just shy of grazing the edge of her collarbone. Her breath hitched and she was suddenly glad she had brought a jacket. Goosebumps were covering her skin beneath it.

“I told you your posture was bad,” Leon mumbled, not looking at her face but where his hand was still resting on her body.

Jaz swallowed, her throat suddenly almost too tight to speak. “You did.”

“I could show you how to correct your form sometime.”

“Yeah, some time.”

Without realising, she had moved down one step again, closer to Leon, closer to the heat of his body. Even though she was so close now, his hand remained fixed on her shoulder where it had been. She should just raise her arms and hug him goodbye, get the hell back into her flat and be done with it, but strangely, Jaz found herself both unable and unwilling to do so. She took the last step down again, now almost flush against him, as close as they had been in the tube earlier. She raised her eyes to meet his. He was watching her, attentively. She could almost feel his chest rising and falling beneath his shirt in shallow breaths, longed to place her hand there where it had no business. His lips were parted ever so slightly and she studied their curve, the dip in his cupid’s bow. She had never realised his lips were quite so beautiful. No, that was a lie. She had thought it on the very first evening they’d met. She had just made herself not think about it since.

They had moved closer still, and Jaz tilted her head as Leon’s eyes dropped to her lips, holding her breath but she didn’t dare move. Neither did he. They just stood there, their chests almost touching, his hand still on her shoulder, eyes locked in a moment that could have been an eternity in itself.

Eventually, Leon blinked twice. He didn’t move back but even so, the spell had been broken.

“Jaz, I…”

“I know.” She made a conscious effort to step away from him, and the moment disappeared entirely.The spark that had been building between them for the better part of the evening had flickered out, leaving nothing behind but the warmth in her cheeks and the strange feeling in her chest. “This is not a good idea.”

A mixture of relief and regret flickered across Leon’s face, brief but so distinct that Jaz wondered how people could ever think that he was hard to read.

“Please don’t take this wrongly, but the band looks like it’s going places and messing this up would…”

“Leon, it’s cool.” Jaz smiled at him. “I know. Never change a running system, right?”

“Right.”

They fell silent, then after another awkward moment hugged each other goodbye and parted ways. Jaz was almost inside her front door when, on a whim, she turned in the doorway and called after him.

”I had a great evening, by the way. Just don’t tell Mel I said so.”

Leon laughed, dipping his head back into his neck as he. The orange light of the street light washed over him, and even from a distance, Jaz thought she could see the sparkle in his eyes. “Still a snob then.”

”I’m willing to learn. Thanks for taking me.”

”Thanks for coming.”

”That’s what friends are for, aren’t they?”

He inclined his head, the lopsided smile from before playing around his lips. “That’s what friends are for.”

And then he was gone, dipping in and out of the light and shadow of the London night, leaving Jaz to watch after him for maybe a moment too long. Shaking herself from her daze, she turned and pulled out her keys. She hoped Mel wasn’t awake anymore.

There were a couple of things she had to think about.

#writers of tumblr #writblr #writing community #creative writing #writeblr #original writing #rockstarverse #wip: when stars ignite #wip: before the spark #soup fairy #yes I’m lagging behind #i know okay

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cyarskj1899 · 2 years ago

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OPINION: Kanye let his antisemitism DESTROY his net worth

OPINION2 WEEKS AGO

OPINION: Kanye let his antisemitism DESTROY his net worth

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‘Cause karma is my boyfriend

Karma is a god

Karma is the breeze in my hair on the weekend

Karma’s a relaxing thought

But for you, it’s not sweet like honey

Karma is a cat purring in my lap ’cause it loves me

Flexing like a goddamn acrobat

Me and karma vibe like that

–Taylor Swift, who’s had her share of beefs with Kanye West, “Karma”

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Started: “I can say anti-Semitic s—- and Adidas cannot drop me,” said Ye (his legal name now) on the Drink Champs podcast earlier this month. Ye had worked with Adidas since 2013 on his Yeezy line of super expensive, super popular sneakers, and thought he was untouchable like most overpaid, over-indulged “artists.”

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Going, as of Tuesday:

“Immediately” in adidas-speak translates to “a couple of weeks of silence after we originally said we’d review our relationship with Kanye because we had a whole lot of money numbers to crunch.” Karma comes in various guises, and she often travels with her equally stealthy pal, schadenfreude. What you put out there WILL come back to you, even if it does take adidas a full nineteen days to make it happen.

Adidas didn’t drop Kanye West to stand against anti-semitism.

They dropped him because their stock was falling hard and an analyst told them to in order to salvage their stock value they needed to drop him.

Nothing heroic about what they did.

— Tony Posnanski (@tonyposnanski) October 25, 2022

It’s been reported that adidas got an estimated 4% to 8% of its sales from Yeezy products, according to investment bank Cowen. For Ye, it was an even bigger deal, accounting for $1.5 billion of his net worth. But I mean, what’s a Jewish life worth to a sneaker company founded by anti-Semites?

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Wow hope this widely available information about the Nazi origins of @adidas doesn’t go viral and cause a massive international boycott in light of their recent silence in the face of violent antisemitism by their partner Kanye West. pic.twitter.com/LTPsKGHYzg

— Bess Kalb (@bessbell) October 24, 2022

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We’d been seeing accountability for Kanye’s hate speech from plenty of others before adidas finally made its announcement Tuesday morning. Gap, Balenciaga, and Vogue Magazine all announced they were cutting ties with Ye. And now Forbes joins them by dropping him from their Billionaires’ List.

Kanye West is no longer a billionaire after Adidas cut ties with him, Forbes reports.

His loss of Adidas has caused his net worth to plummet to $400 million and he is no longer on the Forbes billionaire list. pic.twitter.com/8SzyQqJVjC

— Pop Base (@PopBase) October 25, 2022

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Hopefully, more artists and sportsball people will end their own relationships with adidas. They only did right by themselves, and the last time I checked, there are other companies that make sneakers and track pants. BYE, YE!

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Tara Dublin is a woefully underappreciated and unrepresented writer currently shopping a super cool novel that has nothing to do with politics while also fighting fascism on the daily.

Follow her on Twitter @taradublinrocks.

Editor’s note: This is an opinion column that solely reflects the opinions of the author.

TARA DUBLIN

TARA DUBLIN IS A WOEFULLY UNREPRESENTED WRITER WHO THINKS MORE PEOPLE WOULD READ HER COOL ROCK & ROLL LOVE STORY INSPIRED BY DAVE GROHL THAN ANY GHOSTWRITTEN GOP CRAPBOOK, AGENTS & PUBLISHERS. FOLLOW TARA ON TWITTER @TARADUBLINROCKS

TRUMP HOPELESS: House Select Committee interviews Hope Hicks

RACIST RECEIPTS: We have the sickening social media posts of 'attacked' Rubio staffer

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Going, as of Tuesday:

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Tara Dublin is a woefully underappreciated and unrepresented writer currently shopping a super cool novel that has nothing to do with politics while also fighting fascism on the daily.

Follow her on Twitter @taradublinrocks.

Editor’s note: This is an opinion column that solely reflects the opinions of the author.

TARA DUBLIN

TRUMP HOPELESS: House Select Committee interviews Hope Hicks

RACIST RECEIPTS: We have the sickening social media posts of 'attacked' Rubio staffer

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OPINIONOPINION: Kanye let his antisemitism DESTROY his net worthOctober 25, 2022

Kanye West lost his adidas contract and his spot on the Forbes 400 on the same day due to his very public bigotry.

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TRUMP HOPELESS: House Select Committee interviews Hope Hicks

TARA DUBLINOCTOBER 25, 2022

Former Ralph Lauren model Hope Hicks, who served as Donald Trump’s communications director, was meeting with the January 6th House Select Committee, CNN reported Tuesday morning. NBC also confirmed the meeting, although the panel hasn’t yet released a statement regarding her cooperation.

Hicks, who was one of Trump’s closest confidantes in his White House, previously refused to answer questions about working for Trump when she testified before lawmakers behind closed doors in 2019.

New: Hope Hicks, a former top Trump White House aide, is scheduled to sit for a transcribed interview with the House Jan. 6 committee today, per person familiar — Luke Broadwater☀️ (@lukebroadwater) October 25, 2022

Hicks, a personal favorite of Trump’s, served in multiple senior roles in Trump’s White House for most of his lone term but left the White House six days after the January 6th insurrection. She had previously served as White House communications director as well as director of strategic communications. Prior to her roles at the White House, Hicks worked for Trump’s presidential campaign, the Trump Organization, and Ivanka Trump’s fashion brand.

Trump blamed the military and law enforcement for giving Hope Hicks covid pic.twitter.com/LxPkRZskQA — MeidasTouch (@MeidasTouch) October 2, 2020

Throughout its investigation, the January 6th Committee conducted interviews with numerous key Trump officials and cronies such as former Attorney General Bill Barr, former Chief of Staff aide Cassidy Hutchinson, and Virginia “Ginni” Thomas, wife of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas. The Justice Department, which is in the middle of its own January 6th investigation, has also sought the cooperation of Trump aide Kash Patel and Trump’s former “Diet Coke” valet, Walt Nauta.

If you missed it, I wrote a short Thread about Walt Nauta the Diet Coke Man of Trump and Kash Patel. What is this 'news' about them being squeezed? That story is obvious SPIN. Do not fall for spin. We have seen this movie too many times… https://t.co/eRldHaxnTe — Tomi T Ahonen Standing With Ukraine (@tomiahonen) October 25, 2022

Trump and his legal team have yet to announce whether he will cooperate with the January 6th Committee’s subpoena, with the Dhillon Law Group set to mediate his interactions with the committee. Meanwhile, the panel has cited precedents to argue it has the authority to subpoena Trump, and Vice Chair Rep. Liz Cheney (R-WY) has already said the Committee is prepared if Trump refuses to comply.

.@CheriJacobus .@glennkirschner2.@B52Malmet .@JudyPete.@BadBradRSR .@jennycohn1 When asked if she thought Trump would honor the 1/6 Committee subpoena, Nancy Pelosi's response, 'He's not man enough." pic.twitter.com/5FXMY4zn8x — ChattJazz 🇺🇦 ☮️ 🌻 (@ChattJazz) October 24, 2022

Other witnesses such as Steve Bannon and Peter Navarro who have defied committee subpoena demands have faced contempt of Congress charges.

#HopeHicks “shaking hands” with Chester the Molester. #TawdryTraitorspic.twitter.com/CfPVO7RbOR — Dave • 🇺🇸🇺🇦🇵🇱🇩🇪🇬🇧Veterans for Joe (@dave911rsr) October 25, 2022

[This is a developing story, please check back for updates on Hope Hicks and her testimony in the days ahead]

Follow Tara Dublin on Twitter @taradublinrocks.

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thisaintascenereviews · 1 year ago

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The Rolling Stones - Hackney Diamonds

I’m sure that you saw a handful of jokes from people when the new album, Hackney Diamonds, by The Rolling Stones came out a few months ago that were along the lines of “what year is it,” because when that album came out, The Beatles dropped a “new” song. I kind of had to ask myself the same question, because if I had a nickel for every time that a beloved and influential British band from the 1960s released something new in 2023, I’d have two nickels. That’s not a lot, but it’s weird it happened twice. No one really expected The Rolling Stones to put out a new album, but here we are. The Rolling Stones, in case you don’t know, is one of the most popular and influential bands in rock history, and their new album, Hackney Diamonds, is their first album of original material in 18 years. They did put out a covers album in 2016 of blues songs they grew up with, but The Rolling Stones is a band that took me awhile to get into. I’ve only heard their classic material from the 1960s and 1970s, but they’re great. Mick Jagger and Keith Richards are just as important of a songwriting duo just as John Lennon and and Paul McCartney. There’s a reason that there’s a debate between who’s better, The Stones or The Beatles, but why can’t someone enjoy both? They both have their place in music and rock history, just for different reasons.

As for their new album, I was very hesitant to listen to this, and it took me a few months to give it a listen, but like with a lot of new albums from these boomer rock bands, they’re usually not very good and it shows how clearly they’re out of ideas. I hate to be that guy that says these bands only put out late career albums when they’re either desperate for money and/or they got nothing better to do, but that’s how it happens. A lot of late career albums just aren’t good, unless you’re Paul McCartney, then your late career albums are actually pretty damn good. What about Hackey Diamonds? Nothing was riding on this album, as The Rolling Stones have nothing to prove, and both Mick Jagger and Keith Richards are 80, so what else do they have to say?

Turns out, they don’t have anything important to say, but this album is still pretty damn good, especially (and I mean especially) if you look at it for what it is. This album reminds me a lot of the newest Metallica album, 72 Seasons, from earlier this year. Metallica isn’t as old, despite their debut coming out 40-years-ago this year, but 72 Seasons is their first album in seven years, and it’s also their best album since the 90s. A lot of people have said that Hackney Diamonds is The Stones’ best album in many years, too, maybe even since the 80s, and I would agree. Like 72 Seasons, too, it’s not among their best, but it’s their best in a long time (and still a good album in its own right).

This album has a couple of interesting tricks up its sleeve, such as having a modern production style with producer Andrew Watt at the helm. He’s worked with many rock bands, as well as pop artists, but I noticed that he worked with Ozzy on his last couple of albums. The songs feel more modern, but also have that classic rock sound to them. Songs like “Angry,” “Bite My Head Off,” and “Close To You” have a classic sound to them, but the modern production makes them a bit more interesting. The issue is, like I hinted earlier, the lyrics aren’t very good. Vocalist Mick Jagger sounds great, despite being 80, but these lyrics are bad at worst and bland at best. There’s nothing on here that I’m thinking about after the fact, even the song with Lady Gaga, which is cool all in itself.

This record is worth hearing if you’re a rock fan that wants to hear what a classic rock band is up to in the year 2023, but as much as I hate to say it, this record isn’t “essential” to hear at all. Not that every album needs to be, but there’s nothing out of this album that you can’t get from their earlier work. I can say the same thing for 72 Seasons, too, especially people that aren’t diehard fans, but there is something worth listening to if you are a big fan of this band, or you love classic rock. You’ll get some solid hooks, melodies, vocals riffs, and overall songs, but the lyrics are lacking. I guess when that’s the only major issue, minus this album just sounding like a typical Rolling Stones album, that’s not a bad thing whatsoever.

#the rolling stones #hackney diamonds #mick jagger #keith richards #rock #classic rock #blues rock #hard rock #sticky fingers #exile on main street #some girls #british invasion #the beatles #paul mccartney #lady gaga

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denimbex1986 · 1 year ago

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'Box office record breakers Barbie and Oppenheimer made a combined tally of just under £30 million in the UK and Ireland in their opening weekends, following months of lead-up and excitement—the effect of which can never be repeated, despite what studios will be hoping.

Arguably igniting a real return to form for cinema, ‘Barbenheimer’, as it has come to be known, fuelled the fourth biggest overall weekend in domestic box office history. It is beaten only by Avengers: Endgame, Avengers: Infinity War, and Star Wars: The Force Awakens, all of which are part of major franchises. It’s fair to say that the Barbenheimer effect has been fantastic for the silver screen, especially after the last few turbulent years.

Though studios may try, however, it will be impossible to successfully replicate the phenomenon that was so instrumental in this success.

How Barbenheimer came to be

Oppenheimer director Christopher Nolan had been distributing his films with WarnerMedia, the parent company of Warner Bros. Pictures, since 2002. However, in 2020, he found himself in a dispute with WarnerMedia when it made the decision to release all of its 2021 films on its streaming service, HBO Max. The plan went south when Warner Bros. distanced itself from this plan in March of that year, but by then the acclaimed director had made plans of his own. In September 2021, he announced that Oppenheimer would be distributed by Universal Pictures.

One of the conditions of this deal was the promise the film wouldn’t go to a streaming service straight away, and would have a 100-day theatrical window. Following this, the July 21, 2023 release date was announced. But in 2022, a subsidiary of Warner Bros. announced that Barbie would be releasing on that same date—with the Nolan disagreement being quoted as the cause.

The build up

Buzz around both films, and the behind-the-scenes drama between them, began very quickly and the anticipation only built as time went on. The first use of the term ‘Barbenheimer’ was in April last year but really took off earlier this year through memes on Twitter (now X). Before too long it was difficult to avoid Barbenheimer, as fan-made posters and merchandise began emerging everywhere.

Meanwhile, the official marketing for Greta Gerwig’s Barbie was proving to be incredibly effective, with $150 million set aside for the project. A Barbie Dreamhouse was created in Malibu, bookable through Airbnb, a themed boat cruise was available in Boston, and everything you can think of was turned ‘Barbie pink’. Though the marketing team was pulling out all the stops, a large proportion of its promotion happened organically, Josh Goldstine, president of global marketing at Warner Bros., told Variety, with the popularity of the Barbenheimer concept across social media fuelling much of this.

Oppenheimer’s marketing budget could have been anywhere between $65 million and $100 million, according to Collider. It didn’t go to the lengths that Barbie did, arguably due to the fact that it’s a less fun and more dramatic film. You could contend that Oppenheimer got a free ride on the coat-tails of Barbie’s marketing successes—it wasn’t often there would be Barbie press without mention of Oppenheimer—but this was a two-way relationship, with Cillian Murphy stating in an interview with IGN that the Barbenheimer fascination was beneficial not only for the two films in question but for the cinema industry as a whole.

Barbenheimer’s success

This juggernaut inevitably came to full fruition when July 21 rolled around. With the promise of Barbenheimer came the challenge of watching both films on opening weekend, even on the same day.

With millions of people flocking to their local cinemas for the double feature, the trends continued and audiences showed up decked out in pink or black, or pink and black! The dichotomy and tonal juxtaposition between the two was enough to turn a simple joke into the colossus it became, inspiring some inventive costumes; some viewers even changed their outfits on the way from one film to the other.

Organic engagement

This cultural event is, at its very core, unique in its transcendence of the silver screen. Barbenheimer originated from a shared release date, but the films’ significance go deeper than that. They are two high quality films, directed by two well-known powerhouses in the industry, with two strong aesthetics. Not only this but they are new stories rather than reboots, remakes, spin-offs or the latest in a franchise (although we have since learnt more about Mattel’s plans going forward).

The worry now is about what lessons studio executives will take from these last few months. It’s no lie that we can already see it happening as it is factored into marketing, as Paramount Pictures tries to coin ‘Saw Patrol’, with Paw Patrol and Saw X releasing on September 29. The problem with studios trying to replicate this is it feels manufactured. The way Barbenheimer developed was completely up to fans and cinema-goers, with studios initially blindsided by the trend and only later jumping on the bandwagon—the vital part being they never had control of it in the first place. Also, while Barbie and Oppenheimer are very different films, there’s potential for them to appeal to similar demographics—something that can’t be said for a film aimed at children and a horror flick.

What these studios should realise sooner rather than later is that this sort of popularity can’t be corporate and forced. It has to feel authentic, or audiences will tune out. Attempting to replicate what happened with these two blockbusters cannot be done.

Barbenheimer isn’t the first to see this sort of unprecedented success thanks to audience-created trends. The ‘Gentleminions’ TikTok trend took over cinemas in July last year upon the release of Minions: The Rise of Gru, with hundreds of videos showing teens turning up to their local theatres in suits and formalwear. Although the rowdy behaviour of these audiences led to them being banned from screenings, the trend did bolster the film’s earnings for a while. TikTok also previously wreaked havoc on Morbius in 2022; Sony didn’t seem to understand that the film’s cult fanbase was ironic, and re-released the Jared Leto-fronted film to a second round of bad press and poor box office earnings.

Barbenheimer was a magical, once-in-a-lifetime event, and audiences are happy to keep it that way. For studio executives, it may take a little more convincing. Regardless of what the future holds, for two films to open to over £10 million each at the box office amid the cost of living crisis and the lasting effects of the pandemic signals that the revival of cinema is on its way. At its heart, this isn’t about any two films releasing on the same day. It’s about visionary directors striving to create daring, innovative films—something which should always be valued above a cheap marketing strategy.'

#Barbie #Oppenheimer #Barbenheimer #Morbius #Minions: The Rise of Gru #Jared Leto #Avengers: Endgame #Avengers: Infinity War #Star Wars: The Force Awakens #Christopher Nolan #Greta Gerwig #Cillian Murphy

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jjorbles · 2 years ago

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(Repost) Why James Bond will never fight Blofeld again

Note: This article was originally posted October 20th, 2015 on the Agony Booth, which I used to write for. Since that site is sadly no longer with us, I’m reposting my old articles here. Obviously, SPECTRE has since been released and you could tell from the title my speculations were VERY wrong here, so I'm mostly reposting this one for irony's sake.

Next month, a new James Bond movie comes out, and I’m pretty excited about it. I like Bond movies more often than I don’t, but what’s really got my attention is the title: Spectre. Say no more. A title like that can only mean the return of a villain not seen since the Connery era.

The Bond films, for the majority of their history, have been mostly self-contained stories. Ongoing plot threads like the ones seen in the Daniel Craig movies are a fairly recent development. But back in the early days, every time Bond hit the screen, he was menaced by the Special Executive for Counterintelligence, Terrorism, Revenge, and Extortion. (They’ll never mention that SPECTRE is an acronym in the new movie, of course, because spy movies at some point decided they were too cool for acronyms, but they should, because it’s awesome.)

Whoever was after Bond in any given movie inevitably answered to a mysterious mastermind whose face was always concealed, identifiable only by the white Persian cat eternally in his lap. Until You Only Live Twice, that is, when Bond finally came face to face with SPECTRE’s supreme leader: Ernst Stavro Blofeld.

Even if you’re not at all familiar with classic Bond movies, I’m willing to bet the image above is very familiar to you. But it probably doesn’t conjure up images of terrifying villainy or superspy intrigue. It probably just reminds you of this guy.

It’s been a while since the Austin Powers movies were popular. Hell, it’s been a while since Mike Meyers was popular. But the franchise still holds a place in our collective consciousness. You can go most anywhere in the United States, extend your pinky finger and demand “one meeelion dollars!” and you can generally trust the reference will be understood.

Why am I bringing up Dr. Evil? Because, dear readers, Dr. Evil is the very reason why we will never see Blofeld in another Bond movie again.

No, never. Yes, SPECTRE is returning to the Bond franchise for the first time in decades, complete with their signature octopus signet rings. Yes, there’s been much speculation that Christoph Waltz, cast as the film’s main villain and presumably SPECTRE’s leader, will be playing Blofeld. And yes, he’s even seen wearing a very Blofeld-esque collarless jacket in the trailer. But Waltz has publically stated that his character, Franz Oberhauser, is most definitely not Blofeld, and I believe him. Because honestly, how can you possibly bring Blofeld back in a post-Austin Powers world?

Sure, back in his day, Blofeld was the Moriarty to Bond’s Sherlock Holmes, his most persistent nemesis, and responsible for arguably the greatest personal tragedy 007 ever endured: the murder of his wife Tracy on their honeymoon. But unlike other famous arch-nemeses of pop culture, Blofeld has the odd problem of being weirdly obscure despite his massive influence. While Bond himself has remained a constant presence in pop culture, Blofeld hasn’t been seen since 1983, allowing him to become largely forgotten. So many villains since him have copied his iconography that he’s somehow become overshadowed by his own legacy.

Dr. Evil is the most obvious example, every bit as much a thinly veiled caricature of Blofeld as Austin Powers was of James Bond himself. The cat stroking, the gray suit, the bald head, the scars, the penchant for exotic lairs, doomsday weapons, and elaborate death traps, they all invoke the original image of the SPECTRE head. But a close second in infamy is Dr. Claw, rival to Inspector Gadget. Claw copied the earlier appearances of Blofeld, appearing only as a chair with its back to the audience, a single arm visible for yet more cat stroking. And his evil spy network MAD was an obvious reference to SPECTRE itself.

But you’ll notice a distinct difference between both those examples and their source: Blofeld wasn’t a comedy character. Aside from one weird moment where he dressed as an old lady for some reason (Diamonds are Forever was not a good movie), he was a legitimate threat to be taken at least somewhat seriously by the audience. Donald Pleasence in particular gave him a subtle, creepy menace. But Dr. Evil is a comic farce, and Dr. Claw is a literal cartoon character.

In fact, of Blofeld’s many imitators, almost all of them are parodies or spoofs. The “villain with a cat” trope has become universal shorthand for comedy villains. The Great Mouse Detective, Bolt, Chip ‘n Dale: Rescue Rangers, and hell, even the friggin’ Spice Girls movie did it. Giving your villain a fluffy cat to pet is now one of the quickest ways to inform your audience that they’re not to be taken seriously.

With that is mind, is it any wonder Spectre bowed out of bringing back the evil organization’s iconic leader? The moment a bald, scarred Christoph Waltz walks onscreen carrying a cuddly kitty cat, theaters nationwide will burst into laughter. It would take modern audiences completely out of the movie. So for the sake of maintaining immersion, it’s perhaps best that they leave Blofeld at the bottom of that smokestack Bond dropped him down in the opening of For Your Eyes Only. Tragic as it is, he’s an idea too dated to work anymore.

Which is not to say we’ll never get some version of Blofeld in the future, but at this point, he’d have to be stripped of everything that makes him unique, so what would be the point? Suppose that at the end of Spectre, Christoph Waltz does indeed reveal that his real name was Blofeld the whole time, Cumberbatch-Khan-style. It’d be a cute Easter egg, but without the cat, the look, and the hidden volcano fortress under attack by ninjas (seriously, if you haven’t seen You Only Live Twice by now, you’re missing out), he’s not really Blofeld anymore.

Now, if somehow Waltz’s character loses his hands during the movie, gets a pair of robotic replacements in a post-credits teaser and decides to start calling himself Dr. No? That would be legendary.

#stuff i wrote #agony booth #repost #james bond

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havenoffandoms · 3 years ago

Note

72 for Geralt/Jaskier?

I meant to post this a lot earlier... sorry about the wait, nonnie. I hope you like it anyway. I'm not sure how it came out in the end after I agonised over this for the past couple of days, but it was fun going back to my Geraskier roots.

Masterlist

Pairing: Geralt x Jaskier

Prompt 72: Character A has a secret. Character B does whatever they can to find out what it is. When they find out, they wish they hadn't.

Warnings: brief angsty episode, mention of Geralt's traumatic childhood

Also, I love that art! Holy Shit!? So of course this had to feature before the fic <3

Travelling with Jaskier had its downfalls.

For one, the bard talks a lot. He never stops, not even in his sleep, and that would drive any man insane if you ask Geralt. He listens to Jaskier waffling about poetry all day, every day, he doesn’t have to endure a lecture on the benefits of iambic pentameters when he’s trying to fall asleep, thank you very much. Jaskier also likes to complain about every little thing that causes him discomfort, which when they’re on the path, ranges from fly bites all the way to sore feet. Travelling with a human also means that they travel considerably slower, unless they’re both riding on top of Roach, but Geralt doesn’t like putting his best girl under that kind of strain very often.

For all of Jaskier’s flaws, Geralt would hate to have to separate from his bard. At least, when Jaskier is close by, Geralt can keep an eye on him and make sure Jaskier doesn’t get himself into any unnecessary trouble. Having Jaskier travel with him gives Geralt peace of mind. He appreciates the singing as well, even if he could stand to tell Jaskier this a bit more often. Geralt deems that his bard’s ego is plenty inflated without Geralt making it worse. Not to mention that life always seems a little bit brighter when Jaskier is around, and the nights are a little less lonely as Geralt gets to pull his bard close and fall asleep to the sound of his beating heart. Knowing that Jaskier is safe is the only thing that lets Geralt sleep peacefully at night.

You’d think that after nearly two decades of knowing his bard, Geralt would have figured out Jaskier’s secret by now. Geralt is, of course, referring to Jaskier’s near supernatural ability to always come up with coin when he and Geralt need it most urgently. Geralt has no idea how the bard does it - his songs are popular, granted, and on a good night Jaskier makes enough to buy a nice room for the night and the better pieces of meat from the kitchen. Still, being a bard doesn’t pay that well, not even if you were as famous as Jaskier. Just last week, Geralt’s horse and most of his belonging were stolen by bandits, leaving Geralt travelling on foot and too poor to afford to buy a new horse. Two days later, Jaskier came trotting up to their camp atop a gorgeous mare, looking mighty pleased with himself but refusing to tell Geralt how he managed to afford to pay for the horse.

“Would you believe me if I told you I stole her, Geralt, my dear?”

“Not in a million years,” Geralt admitted deadpan, pulling an offended squawk from his songbird.

“Just because I’m a bard you don’t think I can steal a horse?”

“I don’t think you could ever steal a horse because you’re as stealthy as the proverbial bull in the porcelain shop.”

It’s not just the horse, though. Geralt’s armour needed replacing and good armour doesn’’t come cheaply. Geralt doesn’t hire the services of just any blacksmith or armourer to craft his weapons and protective gear. He has his regular suppliers, the ones he always goes back to because he knows that their work is reliable and of the highest quality. And even though these people know Geralt by now, even offer him a friends and family discount on occasion, their wares still come at a hefty price. Geralt, as it turns out, didn’t have the coin to replace his armour for a few months. He desperately needed new boots, though. A new pair of breeches wouldn’t hurt either, and his silver sword broke in half whilst fighting a particularly vicious griffin a few weeks back.

Geralt didn’t even mention all of this to Jaskier. That didn’t stop the bard from going ahead and commissioning a brand new suit of armour, new silver and steel swords, as well as a few casual clothes for Geralt to wear on the warmer summer days. All of this must have cost an arm, a leg and a fucking lung, and yet Jaskier acted like he didn’t just break the bank all for Geralt’s benefit. He didn’t even get anything for himself and that realisation had Geralt feeling slightly embarrassed about the gesture.

“You don’t have to buy me all this stuff, Jask.”

“I know that, dearest,” Jaskier assured him, eyes soft and an easy smile playing on his lips, “but I wanted to. Only the best for you, my sweet witcher.”

The mystery of where Jaskier managed to find the coin to pay for all this remains unsolved, despite Geralt’s questioning. Well, if Jaskier won’t outright tell him, then Geralt will just have to investigate the matter by himself.

"Where the fuck did you get your hand on all the coin to pay for all this?" Geralt asks one evening, blunt and straight to the point. There was probably a kinder and gentler way to ask this, but after spending weeks mulling over Jaskier's sudden new-found fortune, Geralt has lost the little patience he possessed in the matter. Jaskier, on the other hand, looks perfectly unperturbed.

"From the bank," he offers simply as he sprinkles expensive herbs over the hare Geralt caught earlier that evening, "you know, where people deposit their valuables? I know you witchers don't believe in bank accounts, savings and interests, but-"

"Where does the coin come from?" Geralt interrupts, hissing those words through clenched teeth.

"Why, my inheritance."

Geralt stares for a long while. It takes his brain several seconds to catch up to what Jaskier is telling him, and another few seconds to make sense of the words. Inheritance?

"What inheritance?"

"Well, when my father passed away he left me and my siblings a share of his wealth. That's how inheritance works. Say, pass me my satchel my dear, I think I have some more spices in there."

Geralt wordlessly hands Jaskier his satchel, still trying to process this new discovery. Come to think of it, Geralt knows precious little about Jaskier's family. Sure, that's probably on him for never asking, but Geralt has grown so used to Jaskier oversharing every aspect of his life that he never needed to ask his bard anything. Jaskier just… never talked about his family. Or his childhood, or his upbringing. His life story seems to always begin when he was a student at Oxenfurt.

Geralt is growing curiouser by the minute.

"When did your father pass?"

"Oh? Uh… good question. Maybe a few years after I went to Oxenfurt? I'm not sure. I received a letter from the bank notifying me that a share of my father's wealth was deposited in my account."

Geralt frowns. "You never went back to find out what happened?"

"No."

Well, that's an oddly abrupt response, and Jaskier doesn't seem like he's got anything to say on the matter. Which only makes Geralt feel more curious about the whole thing.

"Why not?"

"Geralt…" Jaskier heaves a sigh before putting on a smile that doesn't quite reach his eyes, too tense to be genuine. "My father and I didn't get along. I felt no need to go mourn him with the rest of my noble family in Lettenhove when he passed. That's it. That's all there's to it. I was not a good enough man to refuse my share of the inheritance, either, despite my non-existent relationship with him."

That's a lot to unpack. Geralt always assumed that Jaskier had a good childhood. Then again, he would think that, wouldn't he, considering Geralt spent his own childhood being tortured by magnanimous and sadistic mages. Where most children got to spend time outside helping out in the fields or playing with their friends, Geralt was put through drill after drill, after drill… until he was physically unable to walk so much his muscles hurt.

"Wait… did you say your noble family?"

"Hm?"

"In Lettenhove… there's nothing in Lettenhove. Only the Viscount and his family live there on a large esta-" Geralt's mouth clicks shut as realisation dawns on him. "Your father was the Viscount of Lettenhove?"

"Yes. And since I'm the oldest, after he died that title passed onto me. But I much prefer being a bard, so I graciously devolved my duties to my younger brother, who now manages the estate. Are we done with this conversation?"

"I didn't mean to make you mad…"

Geralt watches Jaskier stop dead in his tracks, his shoulders briefly tensing at those words, before exhaling loudly through his nose. Jaskier anxiously rubs the back of his neck as he straightens up and offers Geralt a sheepish smile, that one warmer and softer than the previous one.

"Sorry, dear heart. I didn't mean to be so short with you. It's just… well, there's a reason I don't bring up my family all that much."

"Hm." Geralt gently taps the spot next to him on his bedroll, and Jaskier doesn't have to be told twice. Soon, Geralt has one arm wound tightly around Jaskier's shoulders. Not quite a hug, but the intention is there all the same, and Jaskier eagerly melts in the embrace. "I shouldn't have insisted. I'm sorry."

"Don't apologise. You did nothing wrong." Jaskier nuzzles the crook of Geralt's neck sweetly before depositing a featherlight kiss just over his pulse point. "Do you want to ask me anything?"

Geralt ponders over that question far too long before whispering an answer in the air pocket between them.

"Did he hurt you?"

Jaskier hesitates.

"Not physically, no. He didn't approve of my aspirations and choices. He didn't support me. I suppose it hurt a little when he didn't see me away to Oxenfurt at the age of 15, but he never raised a hand on me."

"Hm." Good, Geralt thinks. No child should ever have to suffer at the hand of an adult. Geralt earned plenty a beating at Kaer Morhen, some justified and others not so much. Just because he went through this doesn't mean he condones it.

"At least I get to spend his money on someone I love," Jaskier offers softly, eyes as blue as the deepest ocean glancing up at Geralt through dark lashes, “That, at least, the old man can’t take away from me.”

A happy little rumble bubbles up Geralt's chest, despite the blush gracing his cheeks.

"I never thanked you for the gifts." Geralt blushes a deeper shade of red at the realisation. "Sorry. It's been a long year."

"Well, good thing we're heading North soon then, hm?" Jaskier straightens up so he can cradle Geralt's face in his lute-calloused hands. Their eyes meet then, amber seeking out blue, and Geralt thinks that he must be the luckiest son of a bitch in all the Continent.

"Yes," he agrees in a whisper, tilting his face to place a kiss on the inside of Jaskier's wrist, "good thing, indeed."

Request a prompt

#havenwrites #the witcher #wiedzmin #geralt of rivia #geralt z rivii #the witcher geralt #geralt #jaskier #julian alfred pankratz #dandelion #geraskier #geralt x jaskier #jaskier x geralt #geralt/jaskier #jaskier/geralt #dandelion x geralt #geralt/dandelion #request open

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floraltypes · 3 years ago

Text

Old Beginning Pt. 2

pairings - aaron hotchner x reader, jethro gibbs x reader

chapters - one

summary - the news of a dinner party arrises, but there are some little challenges before the actually night

wc - 3k

an - sorry this took awhile, my summer is over and my writing schedule will be a little wonky now. i’m taking a break from answering requests, so I apologize if I haven’t answered yours, but i eventually will

Penelope and you both looked back at Aaron, taken back by his repeating of the word ‘boyfriend’. You didn’t plan on telling people so soon, considering he was your boss from your old line of work.

“I want to know everything about him, you have to invite him!” Penelope quickly went back into her loud chatting, attracting other faces at her comment. “I also may have mentioned to some of the team that you do have a boyfriend, it just slipped! You know I can’t keep secrets!”

“It’s okay, Pene,” You smiled softly. “I can’t invite him though, you know, since I’m not the one holding the dinner event.”

“You can invite your partner, everyone else can as well, considering it is a catch up,” Dave walked over, a cup of coffee in his own hand as he used the other to scratch at his stubble. “I’ll even invite the woman I’ve been seeing. Feel free to all bring a plus one, I have enough room and everyone deserves a taste of my Italian dishes, will change their lives.”

“Thank you, Rossi, but I simply can’t. It’s so soon, and he’s such a busy man,” You laughed, waving your hand. “It was a kind gesture though.”

“L/n, don’t tell us you’re embarrassed to show your new boyfriend to us?” Derek walked back over, poking your shoulder. “Penelope told all of us down here, just wanted to wait and see when you would tell us.”

“I’m not embarrassed, that’s absurd. He’s truly busy.”

“Invite him, I’ll make sure Will comes and hire a babysitter for Henry, so that we can truly have a adult night,” JJ chuckled. “Everyone is bringing a date, so it would be odd if you didn’t.”

“Actually, I don’t have a partner at the moment due to how invested I am in my studies and the factors of that many young woman my age only focus on the factor of conventional attractiveness rather then the complexity of brains and deep-”

“Don’t worry, Spencer, if you don’t have a date, then I’ll just bring two,” Emily joked. “You don’t need a date, I’m not bringing one either, but Y/n is for sure.”

“I’ll be like the tw-”

“You are dating someone, we aren’t, so you’ll bring that someone. Come on, L/n,” Emily continued on, grabbing your hand and pulling you away. “I’ll walk you out,” She turned back to wink at her coworkers, leading you to the elevator and soon the parking lot.

“Aaron,” Rossi looked towards his friend, a man who had his glare fixated on your exiting figure. “Will you bring Beth, the more the merrier.”

“Yeah, I suppose I will,” He answered, retrieving his cellphone from his pocket, pulling up her contact picture, thumb hovering over the call button. “Let’s finish up this work, so we call all get home.” He shoved it back in his pocket, commanding everyone else while moving back up the stairs to his office.

Meanwhile, you were outside of your car, looking at Emily still was right by your side.

“Bring your boyfriend,” She commented, watching as you fished for your keys and unlocked your car. “I want to meet him, I haven’t really talked to you in a long time.”

“We’re both so busy. Him as well.”

“Seriously, Y/n, I’m not gonna ease up on you. I’ve noticed the new tint in your eye, new considering the last time it was severely dulled. It’s amazing to see your real smile again, you closer to your old self despite the past losses. He really has helped you, so I want to meet the man who helped my dear friend so much.”

You contemplated her kind words, getting down to the point that everyone probably was happy to see you again, yourself physically and mentally.

“I’ll call him, see if he can come. Can’t promise anything, his work is very important to him, so if it needs him he’s there.”

Emily smiled widely, leaning over to kiss your cheek before you moved to open the front door and start your car.

“Great, I’m actually bringing someone. Poor Spencer might be the only one.”

“Aaron is as well?”

“Hotch, yeah,” She laughed. “Meet her at some track meet he had, Jack really likes her.”

“That’s good, I’ll see you soon then,” You smiled, shutting the door as Emily watched you back out, waving a small goodbye.

Leaving the facility, while at a stop light, you found your flip phone, finding the contact of Jethro and quickly dialing the number.

“Gibbs,” He answered.

“Hey, are you on a case?”

“No, are you driving?”

“Yes, safely. What are you doing? Building a boat,” You chuckled, imagining him in the basement with the tool and sweaty shirt.

“Yeah. Did you meet up with your old team today?”

“Mhm, all surprised to see me today. It was humorous in a sense. But, Rossi invited me and everyone to a dinner, telling us to bring a partner.”

“Who are you planning on bringing?”

“You.”

“So, we’re being more public with our relationship?”

“Just with the old team, my old team, they don’t have contact with anyone apart of NCIS, or at least not personal only professional.”

“I thought you were going to come and see me, instead of making me drive,” You could almost sense his smile on the other line, a mocking one.

Gibbs would obviously accept the offer, the man truly holding a strong affection for you, a soft spot personally for you, so he would agree to drive the hour or two.

But just because he would, it doesn’t mean he didn’t have to mess around a bit, act like he wouldn’t.

“I know, but then you can see my new apartment. And after this weekend, who knows when we’ll be able to see each other again. Both of our jobs involved sporadic cases that start and end at no specific time, hard to plan around. And, everyone is pressuring me to meet you.”

“I’m already popular, huh?”

“I suppose,” You huffed, rubbing your temple, exhaustion starting to take over you, wanting to get some rest, a calming bath to combat earlier feelings that seemed as if they were creeping up once again.

“I’ll come, don’t worry. Get home safe, call me when you have the address and date.”

“Okay, bye.” You hung up, tossing the phone onto the empty seat as you continued to drive, playing the music from the CD already inserted in your car.

Time leading up to the dinner seemed to fly by, especially considering that it wasn’t much time and you weren’t having to work. You decided to take the free time to get fully settled in, figure out your nerves, make a phone call to your therapist, and even read. Trying to get prepared for all the days that are to come.

Your hair was now being changed from its normal du to a new one, fancier in a sense. Applying a nice coat of makeup, new lip color, trying a new pallet and the old eyelash curler that hasn’t been used in a while, you finished ‘upgrading’ your face. A outfit was simple, considering you didn’t have many fancy ones, so with not much to choose, it was a quick decision.

Sliding that on and fixing the straps to be a bit tighter, messing with the bra to fit correctly, and pulling it down a bit, you grabbed your go to purse, shoving needed materials a into it as you moved to the kitchen.

Within the kitchen, there was a certain door within the wall of the pantry with a password. Quickly typing in the combination the door swung open, choosing between a small but handy knife, you put in the pocket of your bag.

You weren’t too worried about dangers at the dinner, but with years of catching/fighting murders, specific people after you, and even very powerful assassins, you carried certain weapons for safety.

Hearing the sturdy knock of someone’s knuckles on your front door, you rushed to shut the the secret door in the pantry, heading to your front door where someone was waiting.

A quick peak through the hole, your eyes widened in surprise and opened the door, allowing the man to walk in.

“I wasn’t expecting to see you, till uh, later tonight,” You mentioned, looking him up and down to see him more dressed up. “Are you not able to attend anymore?”

“No, I’m still going,” Hotch denied, sliding off his shoes and following you to the couch. “I just wanted to chat before than, a chance for just the two of us.”

“Is something wrong?” You walked over to your teapot, filling it with water, and placing it on your stove, heating up the water. “This is very unexpected.”

“Nothing is wrong. I just want to talk to you, see the apartment, hear what’s new with you.”

“Things,” You shrugged. “Obviously I’ve had a new job experience, similar in ways and also not. Grew closer with a new group of teammates, people, lost a few. Yeah, lost a few,” You repeated, remembering Jenny Shepard, even Kate, both amazing women, who did amazing things.

“That’s always hard, I guess my most recent loss was Haley,” Aaron hummed, soon the kettle making a high pitched noise, you rushing to take it off and grab some tea bags.

“She was also a amazing woman. Wonderful mother, cared so much for that little boy.”

“She really was.”

“Did you come to chat about her, it’s been a while since we had. Last time we really talked was five months after she passed, after the funeral.”

“It really has been that long?” Aaron questioned, taking the tea that you time handed him. “But it’s not the reason I came. I should have made more of a effort to keep in touch, after your transfer, after your loss.”

“You stayed with me for three months, allowing to lose some time with your son so you could change my dirty sheets and pick up all my snotty tissues,” You laughed, sitting down across from him with your own cup. “You had to get back to your family, make up for loss time.”

“You still helped me with my divorce during that time, and I still saw Jack,” He reminded you.

“I could’ve moved in with my father, but you allowed me not to do that.”

“Your father is a good man, but might not be the best to live with,” He laughed, a deep chuckle, something you didn’t see much. “You look nice.”

“Now you just notice,” You chuckle, taking another sip. “Thank you, you look nice as well. I was actually just going to call Jethro and tell him to meet me there, a bit of a drive and he isn’t happy about having to find a new team,” You spoke freely, feeling comfortable with the old friend, one you used to spill everything to years ago, him ranting to you too.

“Jethro? He has his own team? Sounds like a boss of some type.”

“Uh, technically. It’s complicated. I need to get going, to make it to the dinner on time and, finish, um, cleaning up my room before leaving.”

“I could take you there.”

“No thanks, I’ll see you there, bye.” You helped guide him to the door, a curt wave before he exited and shut it, locking it in a rush and moving back to the dining room table to clean the mugs.

You didn’t want to tell him all that, always insecure due to Gibbs being the prior boss of you and how people looked at that. Rumors were always spread about your and Aaron’s relationship, mostly about it being romantic.

Joining the team, you two easily hit it off due to your personalities. Always being filled with determination and stubbornness, refusing to give up till everything was done and right, even with files. Eventually you joined together, talked, spent most days with each other due to cases, and truly gained a very close friendship.

When rumors were getting around, glares were thrown your way, comments, left out by members who weren’t your immediate teams. People thought you were the cause of Haley and Aaron’s divorce, somehow word got around quickly, drama always does.

It was frustrating, already dealing with many different things at home, and even being in a relationship, it put so much unneeded stress and anxiety onto you.

So, getting into a relationship with Gibbs was a very reluctant thing on your part, he expressed his feelings first, but it was hard to accept them, despite the nerves he faced to do it.

Locking up the apartment, having all of your items with you, you made your way out the door and too your car, starting the drive to David’s house.

Upon arriving, you could hear light chatter in the home, lights on, and soothing music playing in the background. It sounded like everyone was having their fun, you couldn’t make out all the shadows of everyone indoors, just waiting outside for Jethro to arrive.

“Y/n?” You turned around at the sound of his voice, keys jingling in his hands as he walked up to you with a sly smile, shoving them in his pockets to place his arms around your waist. “What’s wrong, love?” Be snaked them around, a kiss to your somewhat clothed shoulder.

“Nothing, just a bit nervous to introduce you to everyone,” You smiled back at him, he squeezed a little tighter, catching your lips in a quick kiss. “Looking at your team, yet?”

“Nevermind that,” He grumbled, removing his hands to now interlace your left one with his right. “We should go in, right?”

“Maybe we could head back, to my place, say you are sick or something?” You looked back at him with a pleading look, to which he just chuckled at, starting to move to the front door, pressing the doorbell as you groaned a little.

“You’ll be fine,” He looked back at you as Rossi answered the door, cheerful smile on his lips, glass of scotch in hand as he moved out of the way to let you in.

“Ah! Y/n!” He cheered, leaning over to kiss your cheek and then pulled back. “Glad you made it! This must be…”

“Y/n! Oh where is the man?” Penelope rushed in, coming right by you with her own fruity drink, then leaning to whisper in your ear. “Is this him, oo!”

“Uh, Jethro that’s David,” You pointed to the man who first greeted you, him and Jethro shaking hands. “This is Penelope, the one kind of like Abby,” You smiled, as she gave you a little look, turning back and enveloping him in a little hug. She quickly turned back to you.

“He looks a little intimidating,” She whispered as you just laughed.

“For sure,” You nodded.

“Can I offer you a drink?” David turned to you two, gesturing to the one in his hand. “Something like Garcia for you Y/n, and what about you Jethro?”

“Just call me Gibbs, and yeah that’s fine,” He corrected Rossi, taking your hand as the two of you walked more inside of the magnificent house.

It truly was so well designed, very expensive, and the appetizers adorning the oak wood table looked very delicious. You wanted to go and grab a bite, before you were actually led to the living room where everyone was currently sitting.

“L/n, finally made it,” Derek laughed, beer in his hand as he pointed at you with a little chuckle. “You always know how to be a bit late.”

“Fashionably late, I believe that’s what it’s called,” JJ corrected them with her own wine glass in hand, Will sat right besides her on one of the couch as most of them in that room joined in laughter.

“What can I say?” You laughed, walking over, feeling less nervous with the factor of introducing your boyfriend, taking a seat on another couch in the large room, Jethro automatically sitting right besides you.

“So, introduce us,” Emily motioned over to Jethro, sly smile playing on her lips.

“This is Jethro, but he goes by Gibbs, and, uh, this is the team,” You started to name everyone off while pointing to them, leaving off a few names due to your members introducing their own partners to you.

Emily, Derek, and JJ had all brought partners. Spencer and Penelope decided to ‘go together’ as if they were partners, and Hotch hadn’t arrived yet. Rossi also had his girlfriend helping him cook in the kitchen, making drinks for you and Gibbs now.

“So, you work at NCIS, right?” Spencer questioned. “The Naval Criminal Investigative Service, very interesting considering the type of crimes you investigate. I would love to hear more about some of your cases and how you went about it,” Spencer smiled, a small notebook being pulled out of his pocket with a pen.

“Yeah,” Gibbs just nodded, looking at you a little questioning, which you just chuckled at.

“Why should we talk so much about work, it’s something we all do too much of,” You joked, everyone laughing, as Dave came back out, handing some drinks.

“Fine, fine, what do you do for fun Mr. Gibbs?” Derek asked, putting a arm over the couch and pulling his girl closer to his side, the woman just on her phone.

“I like to build boats, a type of hobbie I’ve been doing for years.”

“Building boats? Where?” Will wondered, intertwining his fingers with JJ.

“My basement, a private workspace.”

“How do you get it out then?” Penelope inquired, now back by Spencer and her face in her hand, leaning closer to show her interest in Gibbs statement.

“I’d be no fun if you knew that,” He shrugged, taking a drink with a small smile as Penelope gasped, Emily mouthing how ‘I like him’. It was sweet how everything was going well.

They all continued to converse with Gibbs, easily accepting him apart of the conversation, it was sweet and you were now on your second drink, practically all nerves gone.

“Sorry we’re late,” A voice mentioned in the hallway, dressed in a fine suit with a beautiful woman standing besides him. He shrugged off the last of his coat as he hung it up, taking her hand and walking into the hallway a little.

“This is such a nice place, Aaron. Oh! Your friend, wow, so grand,” The woman admired, now truly getting in your line of sight.

“Yeah,” He mumbled, eyes interlocking with yours before falling onto Gibbs. “I’m Aaron, call me Hotch.”

“I’m Gibbs,” Your boyfriend stood up, moving over to the other man with his hand stuck out. “Call me that.”

You had a feeling this evening wouldn’t be as smooth as you hoped.

——————

taglist - @wolviesbabes @hotch-meeeeeuppppp

(comment to be added, or a tag list for all my gibbs post)

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